The days only get longer from here! The Northern Hemisphere marks the beginning of winter today, but the winter solstice is also the shortest day of the year. The rainbow that encircles the sun in our image, a sun halo, is above Lake Antermoia, in the Dolomite Mountains of northern Italy. Sun halos form when sun or moon light shines through ice crystals suspended in the upper atmosphere. When the light of the sun hits the crystals they serve as a prism, separating the light into individual colors of the spectrum, the same way rainbows occur after a rain shower.
Winter solstice
Today in History
More Desktop Wallpapers:
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Don’t look down
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It s Census Day—make it count
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From pirate port to nature preserve
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Acadia transformed
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Look to the north sky tonight for the Perseids
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Let s face it: It s World Emoji Day
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Big sky at Big Bend
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Strolling across the Red Lagoon
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Looking for peace on the precipice
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Easter
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What are these creatures?
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Goodbye, 2020!
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Feeling lazy? Today s your day.
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A place called ‘Peace’ in India
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Adorable activism
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International Lighthouse Weekend
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‘Fringe’ takes center stage as Edinburgh celebrates the arts
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A little bit of Wonderland in New York City
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Lençóis Maranhenses National Park in Brazil
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Fat Bear Week
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World Water Day
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Avatars of the Wolf Moon
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A seabird gets schooled
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Cousins Day
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A rock in a wild place
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Winter Olympics in Beijing
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A march toward a dream
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Here s looking Atchafalaya
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Celebrating sea otters
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Diwali