# Mysterious ring around the moon-- what is it? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 10, 2011, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mysterious-ring-around-the-moon-what-is-it/602485 "2011-11-10T05:54:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Anise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/anise/32/21721_2.png) [@Anise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anise)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mysterious-ring-around-the-moon-what-is-it/602485/1 "2011-11-10T05:54:58Z")
It’s a full moon tonight (I think) and there is a HUGE ring around the moon!!! I’ve never seen anything like it before. It goes a full 360 degrees around the moon, because it doesn’t begin until an enormous distance away. It looks like a huge white ghostly chalklike ring and takes up a large part of the night sky. I can’t imagine what kind of camera setup you would need to take a photo of this, so I can’t. Beautiful and WEIRD!! Does anyone know what this could be? ---
**Author:** ![BowlOfDucks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/2bfe46/32.png) [@BowlOfDucks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BowlOfDucks)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mysterious-ring-around-the-moon-what-is-it/602485/2 "2011-11-10T05:59:17Z")
[22’ Halo?](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/22%C2%B0_halo) Did it look like [this?](http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs884.snc4/71715_1463398266667_1284802891_31124604_7666382_n.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Anise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/anise/32/21721_2.png) [@Anise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anise)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mysterious-ring-around-the-moon-what-is-it/602485/3 "2011-11-10T06:13:23Z")
It’s really hard to say, because I’m not sure what the photographer had to do to get that exposure, and the photo may not have been corrected to take that into account. There definitely isn’t the smaller halo in the middle. There is a very distinct outer ring. But if it helps, I’m up in the Northwest, and it’s been raining every single day. ---
**Author:** ![lisiate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f05b48/32.png) [@lisiate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lisiate)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mysterious-ring-around-the-moon-what-is-it/602485/4 "2011-11-10T06:14:38Z")
Or a [moon ring](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moon_ring)? Pretty much a lunar rainbow caused by ice crystals. ---
**Author:** ![Anise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/anise/32/21721_2.png) [@Anise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anise)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mysterious-ring-around-the-moon-what-is-it/602485/5 "2011-11-10T06:21:27Z")
I found [a pic very similar to what I see outside.](http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3005/2939910879_e7311afd71_z.jpg) (no second ring) Pretty!! Have other people actually seen this? ETA: The moon ring is even closer to it. I’ll have to try an illustration of this. ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 7:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mysterious-ring-around-the-moon-what-is-it/602485/6 "2011-11-10T07:06:22Z")
Yeah, I’ve seen that from time to time, when the cloud cover’s just about right. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![brocks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7feea3/32.png) [@brocks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brocks)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 7:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mysterious-ring-around-the-moon-what-is-it/602485/7 "2011-11-10T07:11:37Z")
> [@Anise](#): > > I found [a pic very similar to what I see outside.](http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3005/2939910879_e7311afd71_z.jpg) (no second ring) Pretty!! Have other people actually seen this? Too cloudy tonight, but I saw it last night. Even cooler, Jupiter was right next to the moon. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 11:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mysterious-ring-around-the-moon-what-is-it/602485/8 "2011-11-10T11:50:53Z")
> [@Anise](#): > > Have other people actually seen this? I see one every couple years or so. I’ve even seen it with a gibbous moon once. ---
**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mysterious-ring-around-the-moon-what-is-it/602485/9 "2011-11-10T12:18:26Z")
(Psst! You gotta get out more and look up from time to time.) ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mysterious-ring-around-the-moon-what-is-it/602485/10 "2011-11-10T12:19:08Z")
It’s common in winter when a storm is on the way. The ice crystals in the upper atmosphere signal incoming weather. They happen quite often. ---
**Author:** ![BlinkingDuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/eada6e/32.png) [@BlinkingDuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlinkingDuck)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mysterious-ring-around-the-moon-what-is-it/602485/11 "2011-11-10T17:07:03Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > It’s common in winter when a storm is on the way. The ice crystals in the upper atmosphere signal incoming weather. They happen quite often. My Dad used to call it…well..crap I can’t remember. He said it meant cold weather was on its way. ---
**Author:** ![VOW](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/vow/32/3043_2.png) [@VOW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VOW)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mysterious-ring-around-the-moon-what-is-it/602485/12 "2011-11-10T17:32:09Z")
It’s like a rainbow ring around the Sun. There are ice crystals in the upper atmosphere that are reflecting the light. Cold, baby, cold! ~VOW ---
**Author:** ![cjepson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9adbd/32.png) [@cjepson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cjepson)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mysterious-ring-around-the-moon-what-is-it/602485/13 "2011-11-10T17:57:15Z")
> [@Jinx](#): > > (Psst! You gotta get out more and look up from time to time.) I would guess that moon rings are more frequent in colder latitudes – perhaps the OP is from a tropical area. ---
**Author:** ![Skara\_Brae](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f0a364/32.png) [@Skara\_Brae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skara_Brae)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mysterious-ring-around-the-moon-what-is-it/602485/14 "2011-11-10T17:59:25Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > It’s common in winter when a storm is on the way. The ice crystals in the upper atmosphere signal incoming weather. They happen quite often. “A ring around the sun or moon means rain or snow will come soon.” 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mysterious-ring-around-the-moon-what-is-it/602485/15 "2011-11-10T18:06:07Z")
Swamp gas from a weather balloon was trapped in a thermal pocket and reflected the light from Venus. Now look this way please… ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mysterious-ring-around-the-moon-what-is-it/602485/16 "2011-11-10T18:35:42Z")
We see them all the time here, too, and it is supposed to mean cold and snow on the way. It is beautiful, though. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mysterious-ring-around-the-moon-what-is-it/602485/17 "2011-11-10T19:53:52Z")
Link from our old friend the Bad Astronomer just a few days ago: [http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2011/11/07/ring-around-the-moon/](http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2011/11/07/ring-around-the-moon/) ---
**Author:** ![Anise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/anise/32/21721_2.png) [@Anise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anise)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2011, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mysterious-ring-around-the-moon-what-is-it/602485/18 "2011-11-11T03:21:11Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > Link from our old friend the Bad Astronomer just a few days ago: > > [http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2011/11/07/ring-around-the-moon/](http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2011/11/07/ring-around-the-moon/) Again, I’m not sure if it’s that it didn’t look exactly the same as the pic, or if the pic wasn’t corrected to compensate for the photo distortion/exposure time/whatever. But the moon looked a lot smaller and brighter, and it all just kind of had more… contrast. It was close, though. Okay, so here’s the question: I NEVER EVER saw this in Nashville. Does it have something to do with the area (Pacific Northwest)? ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2011, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mysterious-ring-around-the-moon-what-is-it/602485/19 "2011-11-11T03:42:26Z")
> [@Anise](#): > > Okay, so here’s the question: I NEVER EVER saw this in Nashville. Does it have something to do with the area (Pacific Northwest)? I’m pretty sure it happens most everywhere in the US. Tennessee is certainly far north enough for ice crystals in the upper atmosphere. ---
**Author:** ![kittenblue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ba8739/32.png) [@kittenblue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kittenblue)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2011, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mysterious-ring-around-the-moon-what-is-it/602485/20 "2011-11-11T13:16:33Z")
I’m 54, and saw my first one a few months back. I actually called my brother and had him run outside to look at it…he’d never seen one, either. It was very cool. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mysterious-ring-around-the-moon-what-is-it/602485.md?page=2)