Double Rings Around The Moon

I’ve seen & shared photos of a 22º ring or halo around the moon, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen a double ring.

The outer ring is the 22º ring, and I can’t find any reference at all anywhere to a double ring around the moon, so this might just be an artifact of some kind.

The moon is almost full (95% illuminated) and was nearly overhead, if that has anything to do with it.

Now I’m curious. Does it look like an actual inner ring to anyone else? Or is it just a circular area of glare from the bright moon off of the clouds, where the ring is like a rainbow, with the moonlight being refracted off of ice crystals to give the 22º arc?

I guess I should have taken that upper division physics class on optics!

 

 

 

2 Comments

Filed under Astronomy, Photography, Space

2 responses to “Double Rings Around The Moon

  1. It could be ice crystals at different levels in the atmosphere, perhaps?

    Liked by 1 person

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