Rare Sun Halo in UAE and Saudi Arabia | What is the Truth?

Rare sun halo in UAE and Saudi Arabia: Last weekend, a stunning sight was seen in the skies of the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, when a rare 22-degree halo appeared around the sun. The mesmerizing sight not only stunned onlookers but also became a huge topic of discussion on social media. People are asking about it from both countries, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

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What is a solar halo?

A solar halo is a beautiful natural phenomenon in which a perfect circle of light forms around the sun. It occurs when sunlight passes through and bends through fine ice crystals in the upper atmosphere.

These crystals are hexagonal, and when light passes through them at an angle of about 22 degrees, a glowing circle emerges around the sun, which sometimes also shows faint stripes of red on the inside and violet on the outside.

Where in the Emirates was this sight seen?

Several lucky people in Sharjah and Abu Dhabi witnessed the sight with their own eyes and took pictures. Ibrahim Al Jarwan, chairman of the Emirates Astronomical Society, confirmed that the halo was visible in the sky over Sharjah on Saturday afternoon.

He explained that the phenomenon occurs when there are high clouds in the sky, such as cirrus clouds, which are made up of fine ice crystals. Such clouds are usually rare in the Emirates due to high temperatures and low humidity, which is why it is extremely rare to see this sight here.

The story of a beautiful moment in Abu Dhabi

Ralf Emerson de Peralta, a 51-year-old engineer living in Abu Dhabi, was among the lucky ones who captured the breathtaking sight on camera.

Ralph said:

“When I looked out my bedroom window, I saw a bright circle around the sun. I immediately knew it was a solar halo. Despite the intense heat, I took my camera out and stood in a beautiful corridor to take pictures.“

Is this related to the recent solar storm?

Some people have questioned whether this solar halo could be the result of recent solar storms?

But Khadija Al Hariri, operations manager at the Dubai Astronomical Group, clarified that solar halos and solar storms are two completely different phenomena.

According to her:

“Solar halos are caused by ice crystals in the Earth’s atmosphere, while solar storms are caused by explosions on the surface of the sun (solar flares and coronal mass ejections), which can affect electrical systems and satellites on Earth.“

Therefore, the sun’s halo is the result of a change in the Earth’s local atmosphere and has nothing to do with any activity on the sun.

Also seen in Saudi Arabia

Not only in the Emirates, but also in the Asir region of Saudi Arabia, a beautiful sun halo was seen in the morning on the same day.

According to Arab News, experts in Asir confirmed the presence of this halo and said that it was also the result of light being bent at an angle of 22 degrees by ice crystals.

Some users on social media in Saudi Arabia called this phenomenon a sign of the end of time, but experts described these claims as baseless and explained its scientific reality.

A sign of weather change?

According to experts, the sun’s halo could also be an early sign of weather change.

When thin clouds begin to form in the sky and a halo appears around the sun, it may be a sign that a low-pressure system is approaching within a day or two, which could bring rain or more clouds.

Conclusion

A solar halo is a natural and fascinating phenomenon that is created by tiny ice crystals in the Earth’s atmosphere. It is neither a sign of danger, nor the result of stormy activity on the sun. It is simply a beautiful reminder of how amazing and magnificent our atmosphere and natural system are.