Anthelion?

[lokisbong]

I was out doing some plinking (target practice) today and captured this.

10-12-2011 by lokisbong, on Flickr.
Wikipedia has several different phenomena that sound close to describing this but I think I have the right description. Any one want to chime in and tell me I am right or wrong I would appreciate it.

[Plamadude30k]

Depends where on the sky you were pointing when this was taken. Was the sun directly behind you (or maybe directly behind and a little to the left?)

[lokisbong]

Yep the sun was directly behind me.

[ravnostic]

This is my go-to site to figure these things out:

http://www.atoptics.co.uk/halo/common.htm could be a circumhorizon if the sun was higher than 58% in the sky. On the other hand, if the sun was low, and it formed a halo who’s point of origin was directly above, then it’s a circumzenithal arc. But it could be a bunch of others, check the site out–it will keep you looking skyward, always.

[lokisbong]

It was just after 11:00 am and the sun was almost directly behind me. the arc didn’t go all the way around and I am not sure if it would have circled the sun or originated with the sun. but this http://www.atoptics.co.uk/halo/120im1.htm seems to be closest? maybe?

[ravnostic]

It’s a circumhorizonal, then. My astro program shows me the sun 45% high in the sky–that’s low enough. While they never do, the arc, continued, would have it’s focus directly above your head. They are hard to capture–cameras don’t do them much justice.

//edit–doh!

[lokisbong]

Well regardless of which kind o halo it was it was very cool to see it and get a few decent shots of it. I am fairly certain the circular polarizing filter helped make it easier to see in the pictures.

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