Queenslanders capture incredible halo around the sun

Queenslanders were been treated to a stunning sun halo on Wednesday afternoon. This is what the experts say.

A sun halo captured in Queensland on Wednesday. Credit: Facebook

Queenslanders from right across the state have been treated to a stunning sun halo this afternoon.

Many keen sunset watchers posted the phenomenon to social media on Wednesday, capturing the rarity from as far north as Bedourie in Queensland’s Channel County and as far south as Macleay Island.

Halo forms over Queensland skies. Picture: Kiel Linder/Facebook

A sun halo captured in Queensland on Wednesday. Credit: Sourced

In an explainer article, the Bureau of Meterology say haloes are a group of optical phenomena in the form of arcs, rings, pillars or bright spots and are produced by the bending or reflecting of sunlight or moonlight by ice crystals in the atmosphere.

Halo forms over Queensland skies. Picture: Deanne Tramantana/Facebook

Halo forms over Queensland skies. Picture: Nat Nat/Facebook

“Haloes form when the sun or moon shines through cirrus or cirrostratus clouds,” it said.

“These high, wispy clouds are made of ice crystals.

“A halo is formed in a similar way to a rainbow: As light passes through the ice crystals its path is refracted (bent).

Halo forms over Queensland skies. Picture: Christian Hoffman/Facebook

“The angle of refraction varies from 22° to 50°, and no light is refracted at less than 22°.

“As a result, the observer sees a halo around the light source.

“The inside edge of the circle appears red because red light is refracted less than light of other colours.”