Sun Halo as seen on Phillip Island on the 25th of December 2013

During a walk at The Nobbies on Phillip Island in the South of Australia I was treated to a rare phenomenon that had people turning their heads to the sky: a Sun Halo.

The light refraction causing this optical phenomenon happens due to ice crystals in a thin veil of cirrostratus clouds high in the atmosphere (as opposed to low level raindrops which create rainbows when interacting with sunlight).

Sun Halo, birds and light flare as seen on Phillip Island on the 25th of December 2013

If you like weather photos and phenomena you might also like this shot of a partial solar eclipse as seen in November 2012 from Fox Glacier in New Zealand…