Rare sun halo appears in the skies over Karachi

KARACHI: A fascinating halo formed around the sun was witnessed by the people in Sindh particularly in Karachi on Saturday.

The coloured circles that were formed around the sun are called sun halos, according to meteorological experts.

Experts said this phenomenon occurs only to reflect changes in the weather and often do indicate that rain will fall within the next 24 hours, since the cirrostratus clouds that cause them can signify an approaching frontal system.

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The experts said a sun halo, also known as a 22-degree halo, occurs due to sunlight refracting in millions of hexagonal ice crystals suspended in the atmosphere.

It may be mentioned here that the latest halo around the sun was witnessed nearly a year ago in Karachi.

HOW CAN ONE VIEW A HALO?

Just like a rainbow, a halo is visible when viewed from the right angle – sometimes appearing just white but often with colours of the spectrum also clearly present. They are the collective glints of millions of crystals that happen to have the right orientation and angular position to direct their refracted light into your eye.