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EXPLAINER: What is the moon halo and how did it happen?

Posted at 6:30 AM, Nov 11, 2022
and last updated 2022-11-11 06:30:19-05

Many people Thursday night and Friday morning may have looked up to see a massive halo surrounding the moon on Thursday night and Friday morning.

It turns out, there's an interesting scientific reason for the halo.

7 First Alert Meteorologist Kevin Jeanes said it's called a 22° halo and it happens because we have high cirrus clouds that are made up of ice crystals.

These clouds are actually on the outer bands of the remnants from Hurricane Nicole.

The high cirrus clouds made up of ice crystals actually bend and refract the moonlight that is shining through them, and as it bends the light, we get the halo around the moon.