The bright circle around the Sun seen in the picture is known as a halo. What causes it?

refraction of light in ice crystals
refraction in the lens of the eye or lens
refraction of light in water drops
reflections from the water surface
Halo is the name for a family of optical phenomena produced by light interacting with ice crystals suspended in the atmosphere. Halos can have many forms, ranging from colored or white rings to arcs and spots in the sky. Among the best known halo types are the circular halo (properly called the 22° halo), Other common optical phenomena involving water droplets rather than ice crystals include the glory and the rainbow.
Ts
0
Correct this question
6
Very interesting!
reach: rather globalatmosphereillusionsopticsphysicsSuntechnology

Answers by country

refraction of light in ice crystals
refraction in the lens of the eye or lens
refraction of light in water drops
reflections from the water surface
answers
flagFrance
69%
0%
30%
0%
13
flagAustralia
52%
15%
23%
5%
38
flagUnknown
50%
10%
40%
0%
10
flagthe United States
49%
20%
21%
5%
192
flagSwitzerland
48%
16%
18%
10%
50
flagGreece
45%
13%
36%
4%
22
flagthe United Kingdom
38%
21%
31%
6%
97
flagCanada
37%
18%
33%
7%
27
flagGermany
36%
20%
33%
7%
422
flagPoland
35%
30%
26%
6%
11960
flagthe Philippines
35%
5%
45%
10%
20
flagthe Netherlands
35%
23%
41%
0%
17
flagRepublic of Ireland
31%
31%
37%
0%
16
flagIndia
30%
24%
35%
8%
302
flagAustria
29%
20%
36%
11%
95
flagGhana
20%
30%
30%
10%
10
flagSouth Africa
18%
27%
36%
18%
11
flagSpain
18%
0%
81%
0%
11
flagItaly
10%
40%
50%
0%
10
flagNigeria
4%
38%
23%
33%
21