Coimbatore residents were surprised by a rainbow halo that formed around the sun sometime around 9.30 a.m. on Friday. The surprise turned into curiosity when the phenomenon intensified and the halo became very prominent in the seven colours of the rainbow.
Coimbatore has witnessed a similar halo in 2005. Terming it a normal phenomenon, D. Mangalaraj, Head, Department of Nano-Science and Nano-Technology, Bharathiar University, said such a halo is formed when water droplets that accumulate around the sun evaporate. When there is differential moisture content in the atmosphere surrounding the sun, evaporation takes place and because of the proximity of the sun, the white of the water is scattered into seven colours and hence the rainbow effect.
The intensity reduced after almost three hours and the halo faded away.
Keywords: Sun halo effect, Coimbatore
This description does not make sense. For the following reasons:
1) Terming it a normal phenomenon, D. Mangalaraj, Head, Department of Nano-Science and Nano-Technology, Bharathiar University, said such a halo is formed when water droplets that accumulate around the sun evaporate.
There are no water droplets around the sun. The sun is 150 million miles away and water does not exist in its molecular form at the extreme tempatures as present on the Sun.
2) When there is differential moisture content in the atmosphere surrounding the sun,
This has nothing to do with the differential moisture content in the atmosphere surrounding the Sun. That is meaningless.
3) evaporation takes place and because of the proximity of the sun,
Proximity of the Sun? To what?
4) the white of the water is scattered into seven colours and hence the rainbow effect.
White of the water??
This phenomenon is no different as what causes a rainbow. It is as simple as that. Refraction due to ice crystals.
Awesome picture Ananthan.
The same thing happened few days back at night from bangalore. The
similar circle was seen around the moon. Just a single colour not like
rainbow. Is this the same thing ?
Fantastic photography!! Welldone and congrats.
Kudos to Mr. Ananthan for the stunning photograph. The explanation by
Mr. D. Mangalaraj is un-convincing.
I have studied so much on sun, clouds, hallo, humidity, vapour, solar system ,climatology, and so much.Many a time I witnessed the ring around moon. But this is the first time I have seen ring around sun.
We first understood and made aware that it is Solar storm, but later we found it as rainbow.
In some schools srudents were told as attack or b;last between tow stellar system.
It was quite an exciting feature as all went to the maximum to snap it.
It will be good if some which have been mailed to hindo by readres be published so otehr students get motivated.
It is also good if more information from an expert from NASA, OR ISRO OR DRDO ANY PHYSICAL OR ASTRO IS PUBLISHED.
IT was like a fesitival at COimbatore today, as people rushed out leaving even important meetings, and assignments.
wonderful Spectacle i saw in my life...
It is really an awesome picture.. Like feast to my eyes....
Good photography with proper timing.........excellent
What does "differential moisture content in the atmosphere surrounding the sun" mean?
When did the "SUN" get an atmosphere with moisture?!!!!
Please review your article and please explain it properly.
It looks like some school kid writing an answers using his own imagination.
If you are writing in a Scientific Journal or Magazine you cannot be wrong or vague.
and when did Water had white?!! and and what is "Proximity of Sun?!!". Are you kidding me? I would rather stick to the comment given by Manu R S. For god sake understand what you write.
Fantastic...
Awesome picture...Mr. Ananthan
Amazing picture! Please feature it in your gallery!
Oh my god i missed it. Because my brother from coimbatore text me that
go and watch the sun but here in chennai the sky is cloudy, thats what i
thought we couldn't see the sun so stayed back inside the room. Now i
feel after read this essay.
If it was due to water droplets that accumulate around the sun , why was this observable only in Coimbatore ?
Really i like the photographer's creativity to take this picture.
This is the phenomenon called parhelion (or in common parlance Sun dog)
or 22 degree halo. This caused by the ice crystals of cirrus clouds in
troposphere acting as a prism to sunlight rays, deflecting them at 22
degree angle and decomposing white light into its component wavelengths.
If the ice crystals are randomly distributed a halo would be formed.
Beautiful, is it not?
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