Friday 3 November 2006

Diamond dust season opened in Finland


On October 26 the pupils of the Särkijärvi school near the small northern Finland town of Muonio stopped suddenly their indoor activities and rushed out - somebody had noticed a halo wonder in the sky.

At the school were also excursionists from University of Lapland. Among them, Päivi Linnansaari happened to have a camera handy and took several photos of which a selection is presented here.

The display had all the basic flavourings of a great diamond dust display, including the helic arc, circular Lowitz arc and diffuse anthelic arc - the latter of which is seen faintly in the lower left image. But then there is also a new halo: the 46° contact arcs. Theoretically it has been known for quite a while, but no convincing photographs have come up untill now. The halo shows up in the upper right image as three arcs below the circumzenith arc. Probably a comparison with simulation is needed to get a proper grip of it.

The halo display made it also to local newspaper. Couple of kilometres from the location there is a ski center, so the halos may likely have originated from snow guns.

6 comments:

  1. Wow what a beauty I still am without any good halos and the 46 degree contact arcs I had a feeling that ONE day they would be photographed.

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  2. Wunderful display, specially the second pic. I never seen both 46°-arcs in this clearness! Congratulation.

    Yesterday started the winter in most parts of Germany with snow and deep temperatures. Hope to see (and post) soon similarly displays ;o)

    Cordial greetings
    Claudia

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  3. Claudia, the lower one of the arcs at about 46° distance is not 46° halo. It is 46° contact arc, seen here as three individual arcs. 46° contact arc has not been photographed before, as fas as I know.

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  4. For its impact on halo science, this display is easily among the top ten halo displays of all time.

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  5. Yep I'd say a deep impact on halo science.

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  6. @Marko: sorry, I haven't seen it on my office screen :o( Now at home I'm astonished all the more. This display is a cornerstone in the halo history! I never seen a photo with 46° tangent arc before!

    Respectfully
    Claudia

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