What Causes A Ring Around The Moon? - Cool Cosmos - Caltech

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The Moon

  • Why does the Moon follow me when I move?
  • How fast does the Moon travel around Earth?
  • How long is a day on the Moon?
  • How long does it take to travel to the Moon?
  • What is a blue moon?
  • What causes a ring around the Moon?
  • How much would I weigh on the Moon?
  • How does the Moon shine?
  • How many astronauts have walked on the Moon?
  • What is the temperature on the Moon?
  • How small is the Moon compared to Earth?
  • How far away is the Moon?
What causes a ring around the Moon?

Rings around the Moon are caused when moonlight passes through thin clouds of ice crystals high in Earth's atmosphere. As moonlight passes through the ice crystals, it is bent in a way similar to light passing through a lens. The shape of the ice crystals causes the moonlight to be focused into a ring. This is similar to the way water droplets in the lower atmosphere can bend sunlight to create a rainbow.

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