A stunning 22° halo at a ski resort in central Sweden has got the internet abuzz. The natural phenomenon is still especially majestic in this clip posted by Håkan Hammar.
The video was shot in December 2017 but has recently resurfaced and went viral on Twitter.
22° halos are the result of sunlight being refracted off a series of hexagonal ice crystals in the atmosphere. This is because the incoming waves of sunlight or moonlight are bent as they pass through the ice crystals, and directed toward different spots on the ground. In other words, the ice crystals form a lens that points the incoming light at a certain spot, and if an observer happens to be at that spot they’ll get an eye full of 22° halo.
The two brilliant spots of light you see on the edge of the halo are known as “sun dogs”. No one is sure of the origin of the name.
Sun Dogs and 22° halo can be seen anywhere on earth at any time of year as long as the weather conditions are right. They can even appear in tropical regions thanks to ice crystals moving at heights of between 18,000 and 21,000 feet above surface level.