Atmospheric optical phenomena explained

Atmospheric optical phenomena explained

Afterglow:

A faint glow that appears in the sky after the sun has set. It is caused by the scattering of sunlight in the upper atmosphere.

Afterglow: – Atmospheric optical phenomena explained

Airglow:

A faint glow that appears in the night sky caused by chemical reactions in the upper atmosphere.

Airglow: – Atmospheric optical phenomena explained

Alexander's band:

A dark region that appears between the two bows of a double rainbow. It is caused by the absence of light reflecting at the angle required to produce a rainbow.

Alexander's band: – Atmospheric optical phenomena explained

Alpenglow:

A reddish glow that appears on mountains and other high points when the sun is just below the horizon.

Alpenglow: – Atmospheric optical phenomena explained

Anthelion:

A bright spot in the sky opposite the sun caused by the reflection of sunlight off ice crystals in the atmosphere.

Anthelion: – Atmospheric optical phenomena explained

Anticrepuscular rays:

Sunlight that appears to converge towards a point opposite the sun, forming a band of light that appears to converge towards the point on the horizon opposite the sun.

Anticrepuscular rays: – Atmospheric optical phenomena explained

Aurora:

A natural light display in the sky, particularly in the polar regions, caused by the interaction of charged particles from the sun with the Earth's magnetic field.

Aurora: – Atmospheric optical phenomena explained

Auroral light:

The Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) and Southern Lights (Aurora Australis) are the most famous forms of auroral light.

Auroral light: – Atmospheric optical phenomena explained

Belt of Venus:

A pink band of light that appears above the horizon during twilight, caused by the scattering of sunlight in the upper atmosphere.

Belt of Venus: – Atmospheric optical phenomena explained

Brocken Spectre:

A magnified shadow of an observer cast onto a cloud or mist bank, often surrounded by a halo.

Brocken Spectre: – Atmospheric optical phenomena explained

Circumhorizontal arc:

A rainbow-like optical phenomenon that appears as a horizontal band of colors in the sky.

Circumhorizontal arc - Lehi Utah.JPG
By <a href="//commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=User:MergenDesign&amp;action=edit&amp;redlink=1" class="new" title="User:MergenDesign (page does not exist)">Mikell Johnson</a> - <span class="int-own-work" lang="en">Own work</span>, CC BY-SA 3.0, Link

Circumzenithal arc:

A rainbow-like optical phenomenon that appears as an arc of colors near the zenith of the sky.

Circumzenithal arc: – Atmospheric optical phenomena explained

Cloud iridescence:

A colorful optical phenomenon that appears as rainbow-like colors in clouds caused by the diffraction of light by water droplets.

Cloud iridescence: – Atmospheric optical phenomena explained

Crepuscular rays:

Sunlight that appears to converge towards a point in the sky, causing visible rays of light to appear.

Crepuscular rays: – Atmospheric optical phenomena explained

Earth's shadow:

The shadow cast by the Earth in the sky during twilight or sunset.

Earth's shadow: – Atmospheric optical phenomena explained

Earthquake lights:

A luminous phenomenon that appears before or after an earthquake, often as flashes of light or a glow in the sky.

Earthquake lights: – Atmospheric optical phenomena explained

Glories:

A halo-like optical phenomenon that appears as colored rings around a shadow cast on a cloud or fog bank.

Glories: – Atmospheric optical phenomena explained

Green flash:

A brief green flash of light that appears on the horizon just after sunset or just before sunrise.

Inferior Mirage green flash.jpg
By <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://sites.google.com/site/thebrockeninglory/">Brocken Inaglory</a> - <span class="int-own-work" lang="en">Own work</span>, CC BY-SA 3.0, Link

Halos:

A ring of light that appears around the sun or moon caused by the refraction of light through ice crystals in the atmosphere.

Halos: – Atmospheric optical phenomena explained

Haze:

A suspension of fine dust or water droplets in the atmosphere that causes a reduction in visibility.

Haze: – Atmospheric optical phenomena explained

Heiligenschein:

A halo-like effect that appears around the shadow of an observer when the sun is directly behind them.

Heiligenschein? 102220082245

A white glow that appears on the underside of low clouds caused by the reflection of light from ice in the water.

Ice blink: – Atmospheric optical phenomena explained

Light pillar:

A vertical beam of light that appears above or below the sun caused by the reflection of sunlight off ice crystals in the atmosphere.

Light Pillars and Diamond Dust in London Ontario Canada.jpg
By <a href="//commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=User:Barkcomm&amp;action=edit&amp;redlink=1" class="new" title="User:Barkcomm (page does not exist)">Ray Majoran</a> - <span class="int-own-work" lang="en">Own work</span>, CC BY-SA 4.0, Link

Lightning:

An electrical discharge in the atmosphere that produces a bright flash of light and a loud thunderclap.

Lightning: – Atmospheric optical phenomena explained

Mirages:

Optical illusions caused by the refraction of light through different layers of air, often appearing as a distorted image of a distant object.

Desert mirage, Egypt.jpg
By <a href="//commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=User:Ashabot&amp;action=edit&amp;redlink=1" class="new" title="User:Ashabot (page does not exist)">Ashabot</a> - <span class="int-own-work" lang="en">Own work</span>, CC BY-SA 4.0, Link

Monochrome Rainbow:

A rainbow that appears as a single color due to the reflection and refraction of light through water droplets of a similar size.

Monochrome Rainbow: – Atmospheric optical phenomena explained

Moon dog:

A bright spot in the sky caused by the reflection of moonlight off ice crystals in the atmosphere.

Moon dogs in Didcot, UK in October.jpg
By <a href="//commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=User:Annajohepworth&amp;action=edit&amp;redlink=1" class="new" title="User:Annajohepworth (page does not exist)">Annajohepworth</a> - <span class="int-own-work" lang="en">Own work</span>, CC0, Link

Moonbow:

A rainbow that appears at night caused by the reflection and refraction of moonlight through water droplets.

Lunar Rainbow 3 - ORION L - Victoria Falls - Calvin Bradshaw 3.jpg
By <a href="//commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:CalvinBradshaw" title="User:CalvinBradshaw">CalvinBradshaw</a> (<a rel="nofollow" class="external free" href="http://photos.calvinbradshaw.com">http://photos.calvinbradshaw.com</a>) - <span class="int-own-work" lang="en">Own work</span>, CC BY-SA 3.0, Link