Astronomy Picture of the Day -- A February Moon's Halo

NASA ^ | February 11, 2012 | (see photo credit)

[SunkenCiv]

Explanation: Lighting the night last Tuesday, February's Full Moon is sometimes called the Snow Moon. But the Moon was not quite full in this mosaicked skyscape recorded on February 2 south of Budapest, Hungary, and there was no snow either. Still, thin clouds of ice crystals hung in the cold, wintry sky creating this gorgeous lunar halo. Refraction of moonlight by the six-sided crystals produce the slightly colored halo with its characteristic radius of 22 degrees. Just below the Moon is bright star Aldebaran. Also well within the halo at the right is the Pleiades star cluster. At the lower left, near the halo's edge lie the stars of Orion with bright Capella, alpha star of the constellation Auriga, just beyond the halo near the top of the frame.

[SunkenCiv]

[ Credit & Copyright: Rafael Schmall]

[SunkenCiv]

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[bimboeruption]

I’ve often wondered what causes the halo. Now I know.

Thanks!

[left that other site]

That’s a real good one!

[momtothree]

I have always heart that a halo around the moon during Winter meant a big snow storm. I had thought that perhaps this was just lore but several years back... I saw a halo like the picture. It is actually “spooky” looking in a way. The next day it snowed a foot. Not sure if this is scientific or just coincidence... but it did seem to forecast a big storm.

[bigheadfred]

I've always associated sun or moon halos with an oncoming weather front. It is usually the case. But the snow moon is a traditional name.

Positional	Associated month	English names	Agonquin names	Other names used
Early Winter	January	Old Moon	Wolf Moon	Moon After Yule, Ice Moon
Mid Winter	February	Wolf Moon	Snow Moon	Hunger moon, Storm moon, Candles moon	>
Late Winter	March	Lenten Moon	Worm Moon	Crow Moon, Crust Moon, Sugar Moon, Sap Moon, Chaste Moon, Death Moon
Early Spring	April	Egg Moon	Pink Moon	Sprouting Grass Moon, Fish Moon, Seed Moon, Waking Moon
Mid Spring	May	Milk Moon	Flower Moon	Corn Planting Moon, Corn Moon,Hare Moon
Late Spring	June	Flower Moon	Strawberry Moon	Honey Moon, Rose Moon, Hot Moon, Planting Moon
Early Summer	July	Hay Moon	Buck Moon	Thunder Moon, Mead Moon
Mid Summer	August	Grain Moon	Sturgeon Moon	Red Moon, Green Corn Moon, Lightning Moon, Dog Moon
Late Summer	September	Fruit Moon	Harvest Moon	Corn Moon, Barley Moon
Early Fall	October	Harvest Moon	Hunter's Moon	Travel Moon, Dying Grass Moon, Blood Moon
Mid Fall	November	Hunter's moon	Beaver moon	Frost Moon, Snow Moon
Late Fall	December	Oak Moon	Cold Moon	Frost Moon, Winter Moon, Long Night's Moon, Moon Before Yule

And yes, I stole this from wikipedia

And yes, I am practicing my html...

[SuziQ]

Moon looks like that when we’re expecting snow, which we got a smattering of this morning.

[BenLurkin]

Back east years ago people used to say that a ring aroudn the moon meant bad wether was coming.

[momtothree]

Thanks, BHF! I’m sort of glad that one passed down “lore” has proved correct! I initially hesitated to even mention it because I wasn’t sure if it was a myth or based on some sort of true weather phenomena.

[SunkenCiv]

Ring around the moon, comin’ up. :’)

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/2845498/posts?page=13#13

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks!