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What was that ring around the moon last night?

Posted at 10:25 AM, Jan 22, 2016
and last updated 2016-01-22 10:27:34-05

CINCINNATI -- If you noticed a huge ring around the moon last night, you’re not alone. Many Tri-State residents who were out and about Thursday night witnessed a halo effect encircling the nearly full moon.

WCPO Chief Meteorologist Steve Raleigh explains that ice crystals high above the Tri-State are responsible for the beautiful atmospheric condition.

Solar or lunar halos are associated with thin, high cirrus clouds, which often precede a storm (sound familiar at all?). The clouds contain millions of tiny ice crystals that both refract (or bend) and reflect moonlight to wrap a halo around Earth's satellite.

Lunar halos are most often colorless, but their solar counterparts can feature reddish hues near the inside of the halo and blues on the outside.