© Claudia Hinz

Neklid, Klinovec, Czech Republic

Latitude: 50° 24' 12'' N

Longitude: 12° 56' 19'' E

30 January 2014 1057 (Local Time)

Image P/S code: P.13.1.4.1

Image I.D.: 4239

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  A complex and rare halo display

  This is an extreme wide-angle view, looking upwards, of a magnificent halo display formed by the reflection and refraction of sunlight in diamond dust at an altitude of 1 100 m in Neklid, Klinovec, Ore Mountains, Czech Republic. 

  Diamond dust consists of very small ice crystals in the air which are visible especially when they sparkle in the sunlight. The dust-like specks in this photograph are the diamond dust ice crystals glinting in the sunshine.

  Complex halo displays like the one in this picture are usually observed only in polar regions; however, they may occasionally occur in mountains when there are ice crystals in the air.

  The halos visible in this picture are, from left to right: a 22° halo; an upper tangent arc; a suncave parry arc; a supralateral arc with left and right upper Tape arcs (also known as 46° Parry arcs); a circumzenithal arc; a heliac arc together with a antisolar (or subanthelic) arc; a Wegener arc; a parhelic circle Tricker arcs; and diffuse antisolar arcs.

  Some of these halo types are quite common, such as the 22° halo and circumzenithal arc. Others, however, are less frequently seen, and some, such as the heliac, antisolar, Wegener and Tricker arcs, are rarely witnessed.

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

  © Claudia Hinz
  Neklid, Klinovec, Czech Republic
  Latitude: 50° 24' 12'' N
  Longitude: 12° 56' 19'' E
  30 January 2014 1057 (Local Time)
  
  
  Image P/S code: P.13.1.4.1
  Image I.D.: 4239
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  A complex halo display

  This magnificent halo display was formed by the refraction and reflection of sunlight through diamond dust at an altitude of 1 100 m in Neklid, Klinovec, Ore Mountains, Czech Republic.

  Such complex displays are usually observed only in polar regions, although they may occasionally occur in mountains when there are ice crystals in the air, as in this case. The dust-like specks in this photograph are in fact the diamond dust ice crystals sparkling in the sunlight.

  The halos visible in this picture are: a 22° halo; a parhelic circle and parhelia; a lower tangent arc; infralateral arcs; an upper tangent arc with a suncave Parry arc; a heliac arc; a supralateral arc that touches a circumzenithal arc; and four Tape arcs (also known as 46° Parry arcs). 

  Some of these halo types are quite common, such as the 22° halo and the parhelia. Others, however, are less frequently seen, and some, such as the heliac arc and Tape arcs, are rarely witnessed.  

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

  © Claudia Hinz
  Neklid, Klinovec, Czech Republic
  Latitude: 50° 24' 12'' N
  Longitude: 12° 56' 19'' E
  30 January 2014 1056 (Local Time)
  
  
  Camera direction: towards SSE
  Image P/S code: P.13.1
  Image I.D.: 4204
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  Diamond dust

  Diamond dust is a precipitation that falls from a clear sky in very small ice crystals, often so tiny that they appear to be suspended in the air. It can be observed in polar regions, mountains and continental interiors especially in clear, calm and cold weather. It forms at temperatures of less than –10 °C in a cooling air mass; the air temperature was –15 °C when this picture was taken. The tiny diamond dust ice crystals are typically made visible when they sparkle in sunlight.    

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

  © Yakov
  Kurortny District, St Petersburg, Russian Federation
  Latitude: 60° 11' 56'' N
  Longitude: 29° 49' 30'' E
  19 January 2014 1520 (Local Time)
  
  
  Image P/S code: S.11.2.8
  Image I.D.: 4713
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  Diamond dust and halo phenomena

  Diamond dust is a precipitation that falls from a clear sky in very small ice crystals. The crystals are often so tiny that they appear to be suspended in the air, and they are typically made visible when they sparkle in sunlight.

  Refraction and/or reflection of sunlight by the tiny ice crystals may produce halo phenomena. In this photograph from the Japanese Syowa Station in Antarctica, an upper tangent arc is visible, and so too is a light pillar, or Sun pillar, which extends above (upper Sun pillar) and below (lower Sun pillar) the Sun.  

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

  © Tatsuru Fujita
  Syowa Station, Antarctica
  Latitude: 69° 0' 17'' S
  Longitude: 39° 34' 48'' E
  27 July 2012 1236 (Local Time)
  
  
  Camera direction: towards N
  Image P/S code: S.11.2.8
  Image I.D.: 4814
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  22° halo with parhelia

  The main features in this picture are the 22° halo and the parhelia flanking it on each side at 2 and 3. The parhelia (commonly known as sundogs or mock suns) are bright spots, often brightly coloured, that occur on the parhelic circle and on or just a little outside of the 22° halo.

  The parhelic circle at 4 and 5 is a white halo at the same angular elevation as the Sun that, if complete, runs as a circle around the horizon. Here, only the parts of the parhelic circle outside of the parhelia are visible. Inside the 22° halo, any parts of the circle that may have been seen are obscured in the photograph by flare from the camera lens.

  At the top of the 22° halo is a faint upper tangent arc. Also in the photograph, diamond dust ice crystals responsible for generating these halo phenomena can be seen as white specks sparkling in the sunlight against the blue, cloudless sky.

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

  © Irene Ho
  Hexigten, Chifeng, Inner Mongolia, China
  Latitude: 43° 15' 54'' N
  Longitude: 117° 32' 45'' E
  06 January 2011 1421 (Local Time)
  
  
  Image P/S code: P.13.1.6.1
  Image I.D.: 4948
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  Halo display

  This halo display was formed by the refraction and reflection of sunlight through diamond dust on Mt. Zugspitze, Bavarian Alps, Germany (altitude 2 963 m). Diamond dust is a precipitation that falls from a clear sky in very small ice crystals, often so tiny that they appear suspended in the air. These ice crystals are visible mainly when they sparkle in the sunlight.

  The halo types visible in the picture are: 22° halo; parhelic circle; parhelia, seen at 1 and 2; upper tangent arc; upper Sun pillar; lower Sun pillar; 46°halo; infralateral arc; and supralateral arc.

  Some of these halo types are quite common, such as the 22° halo and parhelia, while others are less frequently seen. Some appear as relatively bright spots or arcs, while others are faint and difficult to identify.

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

  © Claudia Hinz
  Mt. Zugspitze, Bavarian Alps, Germany
  Latitude: 47° 25' 16'' N
  Longitude: 10° 59' 11'' E
  14 January 2013 1050 (Local Time)
  
  
  Camera direction: towards SSE
  Image P/S code: P.13.1.2
  Image I.D.: 5621