Solar Halo with Parhelia

Abstract

ON Thursday, April i a solar halo with parhelia was seen here, in regard to which, with the consent of the Astronomer-Royal, I beg herewith to offer a few par- ticulars. The best display ocemcred between ih. 30m. and 2h. p.m., and at one time exhibited the following appearance. There was the large halo commonly seen, in addition to which a luminous ring passing through the sun encircled the sky, everywhere of the same altitude above the horizon, forming a small circle of the sphere taking the zenith as pole. On this, the parhelic circle, and outside of the halo by about 5°, a mock sun was seen both on the eastern and western sides; another was seen in about a north-north-west direction, and a fourth nearly east, both also situated on the circle.