Astronomy Picture of the Day

   [1]Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our
      fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation
                    written by a professional astronomer.

                              2020 February 24
    [2]See Explanation. Clicking on the picture will download the highest
                        resolution version available.

                  Moon Corona, Halo, and Arcs over Manitoba
                  Image Credit & Copyright: [3]Brent Mckean

   Explanation: Yes, but could you get to work on time if the Moon looked
   like this? As the photographer was preparing to drive to work,
   [4]refraction, [5]reflection, and even [6]diffraction of moonlight from
   millions of falling ice crystals turned the [7]familiar icon of our
   Moon into a [8]menagerie of other-worldly halos and arcs. The featured
   scene was captured with three combined exposures two weeks ago on a
   cold winter morning in [9]Manitoba, [10]Canada. The [11]colorful rings
   are a [12]corona caused by [13]quantum diffraction by small drops of
   water or ice near the direction of the [14]Moon. Outside of that, a
   [15]22-degree halo was created by moonlight refracting through
   six-sided cylindrical [16]ice crystals. To the sides are [17]moon dogs,
   caused by light refracting through thin, flat, [18]six-sided ice
   platelets as they flittered toward the ground. Visible at the top and
   bottom of the [19]22-degree halo are upper and lower [20]tangent arcs,
   created by moonlight refracting through nearly horizontal [21]hexagonal
   ice cylinders. A few minutes later, from a field just off the road to
   work, the halo and arcs had disappeared, the sky had returned to normal
   -- with the exception of a [22]single faint moon dog.

                  Tomorrow's picture: Jupiter-sized magnet
     __________________________________________________________________

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    Authors & editors: [34]Robert Nemiroff ([35]MTU) & [36]Jerry Bonnell
                                 ([37]UMCP)
          NASA Official: Phillip Newman [38]Specific rights apply.
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                A service of: [40]ASD at [41]NASA / [42]GSFC
                           & [43]Michigan Tech. U.

References

   1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
   2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2002/MoonHalo_Mckean_5612.jpg
   3. mailto: brentmckean501 @at@ gmail .dot. com
   4. https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/basics/chapter6-6/
   5. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap191022.html
   6. https://science.nasa.gov/ems/03_behaviors
   7. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap160201.html
   8. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap180101.html
   9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manitoba
  10. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canada
  11. https://www.atoptics.co.uk/droplets/corcols.htm
  12. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap160111.html
  13. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diffraction
  14. https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/moons/earths-moon/overview/
  15. https://www.atoptics.co.uk/halo/common.htm
  16. https://www.atoptics.co.uk/halo/platcol.htm
  17. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moon_dog
  18. https://www.atoptics.co.uk/halo/orplate.htm
  19. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap150403.html
  20. https://www.atoptics.co.uk/halo/column.htm
  21. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hexagon
  22. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap090611.html
  23. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap200223.html
  24. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
  25. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html
  26. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html
  27. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search
  28. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html
  29. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod.rss
  30. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html
  31. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html
  32. http://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=200224
  33. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap200225.html
  34. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html
  35. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/
  36. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html
  37. http://www.astro.umd.edu/
  38. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
  39. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html
  40. https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/
  41. https://www.nasa.gov/
  42. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/
  43. http://www.mtu.edu/