The halo of "diamond dust": how the light circles appear over the snowy slopes

If you are skiing and the air starts to shine, pay attention to the sun. Ski resorts are one of the best places to see the sun's halo rings and pillars of light that surround the sun as ice crystals fill the air.

David Smoyer was skiing at Northstar Terrain Park in California on December 14 when he saw this picture. According to him, it was a cold morning, the air around literally sparkled, and a huge halo complex was visible around the sun.

These halos were caused by a special type of gem-like crystals called "diamond dust". These crystals are often formed as a result of the operation of snow cannons.

According to the expert on optical atmospheric phenomena Les Cowley, thus ski slopes can unintentionally decorate the sky. The halos formed by snow cannons may be even more beautiful than the natural ones that halo experts once explored at the South Pole.

in the photo, you can see several types of halos: a 22-degree circle, a tangent arc and a rare perry arc. There is also a supralateral arc or a rare 46-degree circle — they are difficult to distinguish.