Solar Halo

今天中午槟城上空出现的罕见全日晕现象

The full Solar Halo phenomenon that appears in Penang this afternoon~
What is Solar Halo??
什么是日晕?


日晕，在天气变化以前，我们有时会在太阳或月亮的周围，看到一个甚至两个以上的彩色或白色光圈，而且太阳光和月亮光也似乎暗淡了许多。

这是怎么回事？我们把太阳或月亮周围出现的这种光圈叫“晕”。太阳周围出现的光圈叫“日晕”，月亮周围出现的光圈叫“月晕”。这是一种比较奇特的气象现象。晕圈的颜色一般是内红外紫的。

日晕或月晕的出现，往往预示着天气要有一定的变化。一般日晕预示下雨的可能性大，而月晕多预示着要刮风。所以，民间有这样一句谚语：“日晕三更雨，月晕午时风”。


听说，在2007年3月21日也出现过日晕现象 !! =)


PENANG: Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it is a solar halo.

Between 1.30pm and 2.15pm yesterday, many in George Town witnessed an unusual phenomenon in the midday sky – a rainbow around the sun.

A unique opportunity: The solar halo – a rainbow around the sun – was seen by Penangites over George Town yesterday afternoon. – GOH GAIK LEE / The Star
Universiti Sains Malaysia's astronomy enthusiast Assoc Prof Dr Chong Hon Yew said the halo was an atmospheric optical phenomenon caused by a refraction of sunlight through ice crystals in the sky.

“Solar halos can occur a few times a year, usually on hot and clear days. However, most of the time we miss them as we seldom look at the sky during the day,” he said.

Chong, who lectures in the School of Physics, said that in science classes, students learnt that a rainbow was created when a prism refracted the sunlight into seven colours.

Similarly, the crystals acte as mini prisms in the case of solar halos where its always coloured red on the inside and blue on the outside, he said.

“Sometimes, two patches of light with tails can be spotted at opposite ends of the outer halos. They are called sundogs. The last time, I saw them here was two years ago.

A businessman, Terrence Ng, 52, said it was the first time he witnessed such a phenomenon and he believed it was a good sign.

“A halo is usually associated with holiness while the sun is a source of light and energy. Hopefully, it will bring good luck to everyone.” 


Solar Halo!! Harlo!! ^.^