Amazing pictures of the sky last night captured a “lunar halo” in dramatic fashion.
Photos taken across the country showed the stunning ring of light that shone brightly because the skies were so clear. The phenomenon began soon after 4pm. According to the Met Office, the effect is caused by the refraction of moonlight from ice crystals in the upper atmosphere – and it’s a signal that rain is on its way.
READ MORE: '10cm of snow per hour' to hit UK one day next week – weather maps show exactly where
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Some of those who managed to take great snaps of the weird sight spoke about it to BBC News. Simon Collins, 57, told how thrilled he was to catch a glimpse of the moment from Reigate, Surrey. “I’m a keen weather observer [and] run a local weather station so am always delighted to see lovely weather phenomena, as so many others did last night as well.”
Social media users also shared their pictures and their excitement at the lunar halo. One X/Twitter user said she’d seen it in the sky above Oxfordshire for 40 minutes, and replies to her post included: “This is phenomenal - Love that you were able to capture it all.”
And another brilliant photo of the halo promoted the reply: “That is pretty DARN COOL.”
A spokesperson for the Met Office said: “The halo is caused by ice crystals formed in high clouds. These ice crystals then refract the light from the Moon or the Sun.
“As the ice crystals travel lower, precipitation becomes more likely. In summer months particularly, the halo can be a sign of approaching storms.”
Rain is indeed expected throughout Sunday and on Monday, the Met Office said. However, as with temperatures expected to plummet later in the week, it’s thought that “significant snow” will fall across the country.
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