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Impressive sun halos were spotted in parts of southern England on Tuesday.

Sun halos appear when cirrus clouds pass in front of the sun on an otherwise clear day.

Cirrus clouds are high-level clouds made up of millions of tiny ice crystals - sometimes the layer of cirrus cloud is so thin we can't see it.

When these clouds pass in front of the sun, refraction and reflection of the light by the ice crystals can produce a halo.

The size and shape of a halo can also be altered by the angle at which the crystal refracts light. In some instances, the angle of the ice crystal causes only parts of the halo to form, creating a circumzenithal arc which looks like a partial rainbow.

We can also sometimes see the same effect on a clear night with a full moon when a thin layer of cirrus moves across the moonlit sky. But because moonlight isn't as bright lunar halos won't be as colourful.

Meteorologists sometimes call sun and moon halos a '22 degree halo' as the ring has a radius of approximately 22 degrees around the sun or moon.

Don't forget that looking directly at the sun could damage your eyesight, so shield your eyes while observing a sun halo.

We still love seeing your Weather Watchers photos but please make sure that you follow the government guidelines if you go outside.