OPTICAL ILLUSIONS AND MARVELS

DEW ON SPIDER WEB

Early in the morning spider webs can create some amazing

“floating water” illusions.

GREEN FLASH

Sometimes occurring right before or after sunset, a green spot

will appear right above the rim of the sun for a few seconds.

Although they are caused by a variety of factors, the general

explanation is that light is being bent in the atmosphere.

CIRCUMZENITHAL ARC

Similar to a rainbow, this optical phenomenon typically has much

purer colours. Once again, rather than being caused by

raindrops it is usually caused by ice crystals.

HALO

Often seen around the sun or the moon, the most popular is the

“22 degree halo” often seen around the sun. Sometimes when

a halo surrounds the moon it is called a “moon ring”.

ALPEN GLOW

An interesting phenomenon, this happens when the sun has already

set but due to light reflecting off particles in the atmosphere mountains

can sometimes appear to be illuminated with a reddish glow.

CREPUSCULAR RAYS

These are sun rays that appear to stream through the clouds from

a point in the sky where the sun is located.

AURORA LIGHT

In the northern hemisphere it is known as the Aurora Borealis

while in the southern hemisphere it is called Aurora Australis.

These phenomena are caused by magnetic rays and solar

wind interacting with the upper atmosphere.