Another Sun Halo - Partial

Yesterday, 13th of December 2012, a day after the ominous 12.12.12 date, I was on my way to work as usual with the train. Sun rises are late at this time of year; and with cloud cover even later.
And we had just gone through the coldest night of this season (so far). It was still -6°C at 8.45.

Arriving at the train station and getting off the train I took a moment to look at eh sun peaking out behind the haze of clouds and trails left by the plans crossing the sky. I suddenly saw it. A faint rainbow to the left of the sun. I had to take a snapshot of it.

Then, as I look to the other side I saw another faint rainbow like shine to the right, just above a tree slightly higher than the rest of them. I also took a photo of that.

And then, of course, although the "rainbows" fragments were so far apart from each other, I wanted to have both of them and the sun on one photo. I barely managed to get that.
When I looked at the photo later, I was amazed that I actually had caught three of these sun bows. One right over the sun as well. =))

Even the cable can not diminished the beauty of the sun and the sun-bows!! Thank you sun for this beautiful light.

Here a NASA link to explain this phenomena a bit more in detail:
Sunrings

Sun Halo or Rainbow

My first post about a Sun Halo was in June. And I still remember it well.

Yesterday, after humid hot day, it started to cast over. It smelled and looked as if it would rain soon.
In the end, it didn't.

But while checking the sky for rain in the clouds I saw another Sun Halo - only partial this time. You could call it a rainbow as well. Nonetheless, as impressive as the first one.

Yes, I did go and grab my camera to capture this moment.

Here the original:

And now a slightly enhanced photo for the better visibility of the rainbow:

And yes, it was only visible from a certain angle in front of my house for about ten minutes. Then it was gone.

=))

Supermoon May 2012

OK -- so we are having another "Supermoon" tonight this year

That's when the moon is closest to the Earth and appears larger in size than on other full moon days/nights.

Already the days before I took some photos - so I can compare if the moon really appears larger than on other days.

Here they are - the first ones still in daylight on 4th May.

The moon rises over the hilltop - 5th May around 20:15. Compared to yesterday we had so many clouds.

And finally I could see the moon for some moments fully (the circle around the moon is NOT a "halo" but a lens-reflection). It sure is a lot brighter than on other full moon nights with clouds (and even without clouds). And there is that light orange or red glow on the clouds too.