Rare Solar Halo spotted from Castro Marim

A rare phenomenon for Portugal was spotted and photographed from Praia do Cabeço, in Castro Marim.

A Solar Halo occurs when fine ice particles are suspended in the atmosphere, which reflect sunlight at a certain angle to the earth.

The event is uncommon in Portuguese but found often in other parts of the world. These Halos range from coloured or white rings to arcs and spots in the sky.

Many appear near the sun or moon with the most common being the circular halo, properly called the 22° Halo, when ice crystals typically are suspended in cirrus or cirrostratus clouds in the upper troposphere (5 to 10