Help identifying this sun/cloud phenomenon?

[Danack]

I took this photo the other day, after noticing that the sun had some coloured rings around it.


http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6231/6405523525_64e65ec9e0_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/danack/6405523525/)
Newton's tree rings (http://www.flickr.com/photos/danack/6405523525/)

Although I've described it as showing "Newton's rings" I've just actually read the description of that on wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newton_rings) and that seems to need two surfaces closely spaced.

The picture was taken at 2:30pm, and there was high cloud. Just in case it's not obvious, the rainbow colouring starts immediately from the edge of the sun, much closer that the 22 degree ring for normal halo effects.

Any ideas about what to call the effect should be called if "Newton's rings" isn't correct?

[Rob_K]

It's a corona, a water-droplet effect.
http://www.atoptics.co.uk/droplets/corona.htm

Spectacular photo, nice job!:thumbsup:

Cheers -

[leinad]

Tha'ts a spectacular photo, make a great print !

[Astroman]

I'm with Rob, a Corona, very cool, I got one around the Moon not too long ago.

[Danack]

Thanks guys, a Corona it is then.

Following Robs link - this other page http://www.atoptics.co.uk/droplets/corcols.htm shows a white light corona which has a very similar shape to the pic I took.

[brian nordstrom]

:thumbsup: Good catch . Hope you are proud. Yes .
Its a corana , The sun is 180 degrees behind the photo taker . low on the East or West horizon . like a rainbow :hi:21 degrees .
High Ice Crystals in the high atmosphere , that are Prisims , scattering the light from the sun , creating a circule'r halo .
Awsome catch Danak.
Brian.

[Rob_K]

Dan, it's such a good photo you should submit it to Les Cowley at Atoptics. It's good enough for an Optics Picture of the Day (OPOD) in my opinion! There's a link for submission at this page (at top):
http://www.atoptics.co.uk/opod.htm

Cheers -

[jjjnettie]

:) I was going to suggest submitting it to the Cloud Appreciation Society.
In the optical effects section.

http://cloudappreciationsociety.org/find-a-cloud/#p=1&i=0

[Groove]

Awesome photo! :)

[Danack]

Thanks guys. I will submit it to those sites after my trip to Lord Howe Island as I'd like to get my personal website up and running again first.

[Mliss]

i love that site, i was only thing of them a couple of days ago. :thumbsup:

Dan, that is such a beautiful photo. well done indeed :D