When the sky is clear, and the moon hangs low in the horizon, you can sometimes spot a halo around it, like the one captured in this image from Hug Point Falls on the Oregon coast. And occasionally within that halo, you may also see a bright spot that appears to be a second moon. No, it"s not the moon"s long-lost twin, but an optical phenomenon called a paraselene, more commonly referred to as a moon dog or mock moon. This "false" moon can appear when the real moon is at least a quarter visible and is bright enough for its light to refract off hexagonal plate-shaped ice crystals floating in the atmosphere. Moon dogs are more commonly seen in winter months, when ice crystals are more prevalent in the clouds.
What s going on in this sky?
Today in History
More Desktop Wallpapers:
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Bringing the moon to Earth
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World Book Day
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What kind of bird laid these eggs?
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World Photography Day
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Festivus
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Sky island views
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Next stop, Tofino
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Kochelsee in Bavaria
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New Year s Eve
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Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, California
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There’s treasure in them thar hills
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A memorial in Germany
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Midsummer in Sweden
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National Panda Day
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Siblings Day
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High alpine color in Colorado
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Lantern Festival
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Napping away New Year s Day
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Constitution Day and Citizenship Day
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National Bird Day
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Flower of Life symbol drawn in snow
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Dark Sky Week
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A. M. Foster Bridge in Cabot, Vermont
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World Olive Tree Day
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Arrr! Can you talk like a pirate?
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Mackerel forming a bait ball to avoid predators
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Hanging out on a limb
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Astoria-Megler Bridge, Oregon
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Into the woods
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What s better than a smile?