© Claudia Hinz

Mt. Zugspitze, Wetterstein Mountains, Germany

Latitude: 47° 25' 16'' N

Longitude: 10° 59' 18'' E

08 May 2013 1313 (Local Time)
Camera direction: towards S

Image P/S code: P.13.2.1

Image I.D.: 4176

• Images & related info Other Images Images of 1987 edition
• 

  Solar corona and crepuscular rays

  The coloured rings seen around the Sun in this picture form a corona. The corona is caused by the diffraction of sunlight through thin cloud composed of very small water or ice particles. Much of the cloud here is very thin and almost invisible when viewed against the glare of the sun, but some patches of Cumulus fractus are clearly visible. Shadows from the masts on the summit of Mt. Zugspitze, Wetterstein Mountains, Germany (2 963 m) are rendered visible against the thin cloud as crepuscular rays.

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  © Claudia Hinz
  Mt. Zugspitze, Wetterstein Mountains, Germany
  Latitude: 47° 25' 16'' N
  Longitude: 10° 59' 18'' E
  08 May 2013 1313 (Local Time)
  
  
  Camera direction: towards S
  Image P/S code: P.13.2.1
  Image I.D.: 4176
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  Crepuscular rays in fog

  Crepuscular rays cast by the shadows of tree branches in Haldon Forest, near Exeter in south-west England, UK. A corona can be seen around the Sun. The fog formed during a clear, cold night under anticyclonic conditions and was sufficiently thick to obscure the Sun over low ground. However, the summits of the Haldon Hills (about 250 m above sea level) were just below the level of the top of the fog, so strong sunshine penetrated the fog locally.

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  © Matthew Clark
  Exeter, Devon, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
  Latitude: 50° 38' 47'' N
  Longitude: 3° 34' 8'' W
  01 March 2012 0830 (Local Time)
  
  
  Camera direction: towards E
  Image P/S code: S.13.11.4.3
  Image I.D.: 4906
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  Cirrocumulus with solar corona

  The photograph shows an extensive patch of cloud that, on account of its whiteness and lack of shading, is of the genus Cirrocumulus, with the species floccus present. Of principal interest are colourations in the upper left of the image, close to the Sun. These are parts of the solar corona. The best examples have several successively fainter coloured rings surrounding the Sun. Unlike a rainbow, the colours are generally soft, subtle pastel shades that merge more gently from one to another. A corona indicates the presence of very small water droplets high in the atmosphere, where water can exist at temperatures well below freezing.

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  © Yoshiaki Sato
  Tokyo, Japan
  Latitude: 35° 41' 9'' N
  Longitude: 139° 45' 40'' E
  15 July 2015 1213 (Local Time)
  
  
  Camera direction: towards S
  C_L = 0, C_M = 0, C_H = 9
  Image P/S code: S.2.4 10
  Image I.D.: 5097
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  Cirrocumulus lenticularis with partial corona and irisation

  The clouds in this image are characterized as Cirrocumulus due to their whiteness; the general absence of shading; and the presence of fine ripples and very small rounded elements. These patches have a broadly elongated lens shape (seen at 3 and 4) when seen in profile and reasonably well-defined outlines, as found in the species lenticularis. Behind the cloud, the diffraction of light from the Sun by tiny cloud droplets (or sometimes small ice crystals) is causing a partial corona. The pastel shades of irisation can also be seen on the lower lenticular cloud.

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  © Yoshiaki Sato
  Kiyose, Tokyo, Japan
  Latitude: 35° 46' 34'' N
  Longitude: 139° 31' 48'' E
  03 January 2012 1223 (Local Time)
  
  
  Camera direction: towards SE
  C_L = 0, C_M = 0, C_H = 9
  Image P/S code: S.2.2 35
  Image I.D.: 5098
• 

  Solar corona

  The coloured rings in this picture form a corona. Coronae are caused by the diffraction of sunlight through thin cloud that is composed of very small water or ice particles.

  Links in the image description will highlight features on the image. Mouse over the features for more detail.

  © Claudia Hinz
  Mt. Zugspitze, Wetterstein Mountains, Germany
  Latitude: 47° 25' 16'' N
  Longitude: 10° 59' 11'' E
  07 October 2013 1709 (Local Time)
  
  
  Camera direction: towards WSW
  C_L = 0, C_M = 0, C_H = 9
  Image P/S code: S.13.2.1
  Image I.D.: 5847