'Halo' spotted around the Moon across England

Image source, Sienna Anderson

Image caption, The halo around the Moon was seen over the Isle of Wight, among other places, on Saturday evening
  • Author, Sophie Madden
  • Role, 成人快手 News

A "lunar halo" has been spotted in the night skies.

The ring around the Moon was seen over the skies on Saturday evening in Staffordshire, the West Midlands, Surrey, Berkshire, Dorset, Yorkshire, Cumbria, Derbyshire and the Isle of Wight.

The phenomenon is caused by the refraction of moonlight from ice crystals in the upper atmosphere.

According to the Met Office, the halo can mean rainfall might be approaching.

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Image source, Pacamac

Image caption, The halo is seen in Ashbourne in Derbyshire

Image source, Sue Ketteridge

Image caption, The halo as seen over Poole's Old Town in Dorset

Image source, Lynne Smith

Image caption, The phenomenon is caused by light refracting through ice crystals, as spotted in Cheadle, Staffordshire

Image source, Jono/Weather Watchers

Image caption, The halo, a sign that rain might be coming, was also seen in Kirklees, West Yorkshire

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It added: "The halo is caused by ice crystals formed in high clouds.

"These ice crystals then refract the light from the Moon or Sun.

"As the ice crystals travel lower, precipitation becomes more likely. In summer months particularly, the Halo can be a sign of approaching storms."

Image source, traindriver_Surrey

Image caption, The halo was seen over the skies in Surrey on Saturday night

Image source, Roger Steadman

Image caption, And over Shirley in the West Midlands

Image source, Anna Butcher

Image caption, The lunar halo was also seen over Wokingham in Berkshire

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Image source, Jonny Gios

Image caption, And in Kendal, Cumbria

Geographer Simon Collins said he was "delighted" to catch a glimpse of the moment.

"I'm a keen weather observer [and] run a local weather station so am always delighted to see lovely weather phenomena as so many others did last night as well," the 57-year-old, who took a photo in Reigate, Surrey on Saturday night, said.

Some described witnessing the occurrence as "amazing", with others described it as "very weird" and "like a night time rainbow".

Image source, James Donald

Image caption, The halo as seen over Sevenoaks
Image caption, The halo was also captured over Sutton Coldfield
Image caption, It was also seen over Endon in Staffordshire

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