What is a halo?
Question and Answer Why does a rainbow appear?
A winter rainbow in severe frosts is far from a rare occurrence. In science, this optical phenomenon got its name - halo (from the French halo and Greek halos - a ring of light around the Sun or Moon). Halos, like rainbows and northern lights, are atmospheric optical phenomena caused by the dispersion of light in ice crystals. The three components of the rainbow in winter are bright sun, severe frost and high humidity.
Most often, a winter halo is a halo around the sun or moon. And on the sides of the sun and moon, quite bright spots can be visible that look like the solar disk.
Humidity arises due to the fact that the atmosphere is saturated with a huge number of ice crystals, and the sun's rays, passing through them, are refracted, forming a reddish glow on the inside of the halo. In very rare cases, the glow consists of a full spectrum of colors.
A halo occurs when thin cirrus clouds appear in the sky (at an altitude of about 6 km), and it is they that refract the sun's rays.
Solar halo. Photo: Commons.wikimedia.org / Nasko
Moon Rainbow
A lunar rainbow (also known as a night rainbow) is a rainbow created by the Moon. It differs from the sun only in lower brightness. It has the same radius as the solar one and is always located on the side of the sky opposite to the Moon.
The colors of a lunar rainbow are difficult to see because the light is too weak, resulting in a lunar rainbow usually appearing white. However, it is possible to produce colors in long exposure photographs.
A lunar rainbow is best seen when the moon is close to the full moon, as the moon is at its brightest at this time. For a moonbow to appear (other than those caused by a waterfall), the moon must be low in the sky and the sky must be dark. In addition, it must rain opposite the Moon. This combination of necessary requirements makes lunar rainbows much rarer than rainbows, also caused by rain, but generated by the Sun.
Legends, traditions, signs about the rainbow
“When diseases strike the Earth, the warriors of the rainbow will unite in the name of saving the planet...”, says the Indian legend .
In Great Britain , the popular consciousness retains fragments of concepts about the holiness and mystery of the rainbow. Seeing a rainbow is a good omen, and many people make a wish at the same time. Pointing your finger at it is very bad, otherwise some misfortune or failure will befall you, the least that can happen from this is that it will rain again. Children in the northern regions often “cross out” it by making a cross on the ground from twigs or straws with small stones at the ends. This is expected to make the rainbow disappear, although few children can say why it bothers them. Perhaps this custom is based on vague memories of the ancient idea of ney as a bridge of souls.
In Ireland they say that if you find a place where a rainbow touches the ground, i.e. where it begins and where it ends, there you will find a pot of gold.
In some African myths, a celestial serpent is identified with a rainbow, which serves as a guardian of treasures or envelops the earth in a ring.
American Indians identify the rainbow with a ladder along which one can climb to another world.
In Scandinavian mythology , a rainbow is a bridge connecting heaven and earth. He is guarded by the guardian of the gods, Heimdall. Before the end of the world and the death of the gods, the bridge collapses.
In Ancient Greece , the goddess of the rainbow was the virgin Iris, the messenger of the gods, the daughter of Thaumantes and the oceanids Electra, the sister of the harpies. She was depicted with wings and a caduceus. Her robe is made up of dew drops that shimmer in the colors of the rainbow.
In China, a rainbow is a heavenly dragon, the union of Heaven and Earth, a sign of the unification of yin and yang.
In Christianity, the rainbow symbolized forgiveness, a pact between God and man, a sign that from now on there will be no more global flood. The world judge at the end of the world is often depicted sitting on a rainbow. In the Christian symbolism of the Middle Ages, the three main colors of the rainbow are interpreted as images of the global flood (blue), global fire (red) and the new earth (green), and the seven colors are interpreted as images of the seven sacraments and seven gifts of the Holy Spirit.
In Islam, the rainbow consists of four colors - red, yellow, green and blue, corresponding to the four elements.
In Slavic myths and legends, the rainbow was considered a magical heavenly bridge spanned from heaven to earth, a road along which the gods descend from heaven to collect water from rivers. They pour this water into the clouds and from there it falls as life-giving rain. In some areas they believe that a rainbow is a sparkling rocker with which the heavenly queen Gromovnitsa (an ancient goddess of spring and fertility) draws water from the sea-ocean and irrigates the fields with it. This rocker is kept in the sky and can be seen at night in the constellation Ursa Major.
The rainbow is an impressive celestial phenomenon, its appearance along with the first spring rains is a sign of the rebirth of nature, the arrival of summer, the blessed union of earth and sky, and the luxurious colors with which the rainbow shines, in the imagination of the ancestors, were the precious attire in which the heavenly deity is clothed.
Signs for October: folk calendar
Weather signs for October divided the month into three more stages, unequal and not similar to the usual decades.
In October there are seven weathers: it sows, it blows, it swirls, it stirs, it roars, it pours from above and sweeps from below.
So, from October 1 to October 15 – golden autumn.
The time when folk signs for the month of October tell you to finish the harvest and enjoy the last warm days. This period should be devoted not only to work in the garden.
A great reason to get out into the forest, have a picnic, wander among beautiful colorful trees and bushes, pick up mushrooms and strange leaves. And, of course, tell children about folk signs about October.
The next stage is the period from October 16 to October 23, which is considered deep autumn. It’s time for slow owners to hurry up and prepare the garden for winter and cover plants that are not resistant to frost.
Housewives devote this week to preparations. Sauerkraut and tomatoes are fermented. The barrels are filled with the last autumn apples and eggplants.
And, of course, preparations for weddings are in full swing. At this time, the signs of October in bright pictures will tell about future harvests and the weather.
The end of October from the 24th was considered the transition to winter. That’s why it got the name “pre-winter”. Observant people notice signs of October for the winter at this time.
Based on centuries-old observations, people have developed special signs - the October calendar will tell you in detail about all the observations.
How does a sign depend on the winter month?
The ancient Slavic farmers were concerned about signs, first of all, from the point of view of the impact on the harvest and weather changes. Therefore, seeing a rainbow in winter was considered not a very good omen; it foreshadowed prolonged frosts or worsening weather, otherwise it could lead to crop failure.
The meaning of signs in December
Seeing such a natural phenomenon in December is not a very good sign, especially if the rainbow suddenly disappeared. This could mean that you did a bad thing, betrayed your soul, and now you will pay for your mistakes.
In addition, you may become a victim of dishonest people, lose money or a place in the service. Be extremely careful, look around and fate will definitely tell you who is acting against you.
The meaning of signs in January
If you see such an amazing phenomenon on the Nativity of Christ, then expect a lot of good things, luck is now on your side.
In general, throughout January, this sign promises good luck in business, especially in money or love. The best time for Christmastide is from January 7th to 19th.
The meaning of signs in February
The February rainbow indicates changes in the weather, but to predict the weather correctly, you need to look closely at the rainbow. A reddish tint portends a strong wind, a steeply curved rainbow promises clear sunny weather, and a low, gentle rainbow promises heavy snowfall.
If you see an arc near the solar disk, then rejoice: the dark streak in your life is over, you are entering a period of prosperity.
Old people say that if you believe in a good interpretation of an omen, it will definitely come true, but if you do not believe in the bad things that will happen to you, then the omen will not come true. Decide for yourself to believe or not to believe in folk wisdom and act according to your conscience.
Signs about the lunar halo
This phenomenon occurs due to the fact that there are many microscopic ice crystals in the atmosphere that reflect the sun's rays. Pushing off from them, the light projects the reflection of the moon.
People see halos as bright spots to the right or left of the planet, and sometimes in all four directions
For the phenomenon to occur, the night must be not only cloudless, but also very frosty. Often the formation of a lunar halo can be observed during an anticyclone, when cold weather sets in for a long period of time.
Scientists are of the opinion that the natural phenomenon is the result of a collision of atmospheric fronts. In winter, a halo around the moon suggests snow will soon fall, and rain in summer. Folk omens also consider a halo around the planet to be a harbinger of climate change.
In ancient times, solar circles were treated with caution: hunger, disease and pestilence were associated with them. Ordinary peasants and artisans saw the halo as a prediction of the death of livestock and crops. Princes and kings connected the phenomenon with their activities: they stopped military operations or adjusted the original plans.
This can be easily explained: even now, sudden climate change is disrupting the usual way of human life. But if modern technologies and the level of development make it possible to prevent or reduce damage from natural disasters, then in ancient times people had to rely on higher powers.
Impact on culture
The famous Russian science fiction writer Sergei Pavlov wrote the series “Moon Rainbow”, the name of which was given by the name of the reconnaissance and landing raider, on board of which incredible events took place. In 1983, a film of the same name was shot in the USSR. The Lunar Rainbow literary prize was established on June 30, 2005, awarded for high achievements in the genre of fiction.
Mythology and beliefs
Among the Slavs, a rainbow is a snake that sucks water for the next rain. At the same time, people believed that she could suck in a person, so they were very afraid of her.
Serbs, Bulgarians, and Macedonians believed that by walking under a rainbow you could change your gender. In addition, they have a sign that a double rainbow shows the amount of harvest: if the color of the lower one is brighter, the earth will produce a large harvest, the upper one – a high “harvest” of that light.
European peoples have a belief that in the place where the rainbow begins, there are treasures. In addition, it is considered a bridge between worlds.
Folk signs associated with circles around the Moon
In the old days, close attention was paid to the halo. And, as a rule, such phenomena were considered not the best omen. Circles could foreshadow pestilence, famine, disease, the death of kingdoms and the death of political figures. But such circles could bring much more trouble to ordinary people - peasants and artisans, which is why most signs associated with lunar circles predict climate change.
In the Russian collection “Kolyadnik” (18th century text, translation from Polish), which was widely circulated in Rus', the following weather changes are indicated:
- “As soon as the month of January is surrounded, there will be great rains.
- If the month of February is surrounded, there will be little life.
- If the month of April is surrounded, there will be a lot of fruit.
- If the month of July is surrounded, death will be a beast.
- If the month of August is surrounded, there will be a lot of fish and honey.
- If the month of September is surrounded, there will be little rain.
- If the month of October is surrounded, it will be dry and there will be little rain.
- If the month of November is surrounded, there will be a lot of life.”
Seeing a rainbow, most of us smile and remember our childhood when this natural phenomenon was seen for the first time. There are many signs associated with, but a multi-colored arc closing around the sun looks especially unusual and mystical. In science, this phenomenon is called a halo.
What kind of phenomenon is a rainbow around the sun?
There are many types of halos, but all are caused by ice crystals in cirrus clouds. The appearance of the halo depends on their shape and location. The light that is reflected and refracted by ice crystals is often decomposed into a spectrum, which causes the halo to resemble a rainbow. The halo that forms around the moon has no color, because it is simply impossible to distinguish it at dusk. This phenomenon is recorded in any weather, and in frosty conditions the crystals are located very close to the surface of the earth and resemble shining precious stones, the so-called diamond dust.
The lower part of the halo can be seen against the background of the surrounding landscape if the main luminary is located low above the horizon. However, halos are not the same as crowns. The latest natural phenomenon is associated with the formation of light, foggy rings in the sky around the Sun or Moon.
What does a rainbow around the sun mean?
Those lucky enough to see this rare phenomenon should expect all the best - prosperity, prosperity, luck and love. If before this there was not the easiest period in life, then it will definitely end and everything will work out in the best possible way.
If there are such signs associated with a circular rainbow around the sun:
There are a lot of historical facts related to the halo, when this natural phenomenon helped those who saw it in some matters or, on the contrary, was interpreted as a bad sign. In particular, the “Tale of Igor’s Campaign” says that the army was finally defeated when four Suns appeared in the sky. Ivan the Terrible regarded the natural phenomenon he saw as an omen of imminent death. There are a lot of superstitions about rainbows. This belief is quite interesting: if you take a sip of water from the river where the rainbow originates, you can wish for the gender of your child. True, this applies only to those women who already have three daughters or three sons.
The inhabitants of the Earth have observed the optical effect of a halo throughout history. In the Middle Ages, this unusually beautiful phenomenon was mistaken for the swords of angels (pillars and arcs) and for angel dust when the halo formed too close to the surface of the Earth, and its appearance resembled a scattering of precious stones. Today we will talk about the scientific origin of the halo effect and its varieties.
Why see a rainbow in winter
A winter rainbow is a rare phenomenon and it portends you happiness and good luck in all areas of life. Since ancient times, people believed that such a phenomenon could only be seen as a harbinger of great changes for the better. It promises prosperity at home, success at work, family harmony. Fate says that now is the time to make expensive purchases, change your place of residence or work, propose to your girlfriend and radically change your life.
Experienced fortune tellers say that when you see a rainbow, close your eyes and focus on your deepest desire. If you are pure in your thoughts, then it will definitely come true. But to consolidate the effect of luck, take a photo of the rainbow and send it to all your friends and acquaintances, wishing them the fulfillment of their cherished desire. Higher powers will definitely appreciate your selflessness and desire to help and will be on your side.
