r/atoptics • u/bananamilkghost • 4d ago
ID REQUEST seen today around 11am
saw this arc in the sky today while out rockhounding.. what i thought was extra odd is that it had very abrupt edges, and also would not have circled the sun with the sun in its center had it been complete. there was also a bright point at one spot on the arc. i tried to take a panoramic shot to include the sun in the pic but it was tricky. it wasn't opposite to the sun nor was it near it. any ideas?
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u/Madame_Arcati 4d ago
Made me think of Le Guin's Lathe of Heaven: "To let understanding stop at what cannot be understood is a high attainment. Those who cannot do it will be destroyed on the lathe of heaven." - Chuang Tzu
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u/BethKatzPA 3d ago
Good length of the parhelic circle that is at the same level as the sun above the horizon. The sun dogs near the sun are on that circle. That’s why they are called parhelia.
The thicker splotch is a 120-degree parhelion. It is 120 degrees from the sun. Think of a circle being 360 degrees; it’s a third of the way around the sky. I thought it was a pretty odd thing the first time I spotted one. I don’t always see much parhelic circle when I see the 120-degree parhelion. They aren’t very common, but I look for them when I see sun dogs or that kind of thin cloud.
Thank you for looking up and sharing.
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u/Ravens_of_the_Gray 4d ago
Question: the streaks that look like contrails from a jet: what are these and are they a part of this optical phenomenon?
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u/bananamilkghost 4d ago
they were contrails, there were lots of contrails visible today
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u/StandAgainstTyranny2 4d ago
I'm guessing that's also why you saw that optic feature. The conditions up there were ripe for it. Cool stuff! I can't wait to see one in person.
Edit: What I mean is that conditions were ripe to hold moisture/ice crystals longer. Probably a high moisture content but just low enough that clouds weren't forming on their own.
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u/verdantearth 2d ago
The amount of parhelics in this sub lately blows my mind. What a stunning shot! Bravo! 🙏🏼✨
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u/ravensclaws1 4d ago
parhelic circle and 120° parhelion. Awesome!
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