# Circular effect of light through trees - Is there a name for this?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/circular-effect-of-light-through-trees-is-there-a-name-for-this/474586>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [November 26, 2008, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/circular-effect-of-light-through-trees-is-there-a-name-for-this/474586 "2008-11-26T18:41:25Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\
**Post date:** [November 28, 2008, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/circular-effect-of-light-through-trees-is-there-a-name-for-this/474586/21 "2008-11-28T18:58:42Z")

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> [@Quartz](#):
>
> With regard to trees, isn’t this an example of fractals? So that when the tree is in leaf it captures the maximum amount of sun?

It has more to do with the branching. The shoots are going off in all directions, and if your point of view surrounds the sun or moon, the light from either will create a specular highlight on each branch, and create a “circle” of highlights around the light source.

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**Author:** ![BiJaz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b5a626/32.png) [@BiJaz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiJaz)\
**Post date:** [January 13, 2014, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/circular-effect-of-light-through-trees-is-there-a-name-for-this/474586/22 "2014-01-13T18:07:49Z")

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> [@Quartz](#):
>
> With regard to trees, isn’t this an example of fractals? So that when the tree is in leaf it captures the maximum amount of sun?

I know I’m late but I wanted to say that I have thought about fractalswhen looking at the pattern as well. These fracta patterns in nature are awsome.

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