Winter Moon ~ The Beauty of a Winter Night

I took these over New years when the moon was at it's brightest.
My grandson one night told me to go out and look...
I researched this a little and this is what I came up with.

An Optical Illusion.....
Unlike Saturn, which has actual, physical rings, the ring you
can sometimes see around the moon is merely an optical illusion.

It’s an effect of our own atmosphere that meteorologists call a “halo effect,”
because diffracted light rays create a halo around a bright object.
Can you see the 'rainbow ' in the halo

Moon halos are caused by tiny ice crystals that have gathered twenty
thousand feet above the ground, as thin, wispy clouds.

This means that in addition to the direct moonlight, you will also see
diffracted moonlight in a circle 22 degrees away from the moon.
This is about the distance of your fist, held at arm’s length.

Like a rainbow, this halo can even be slightly colored; red
on the inside, and blue on the outside.

Yes, it can mean that rain or snow is coming soon.
Those high, wispy clouds could be the forerunners of
storm clouds right behind them.

Since then we have had cold frigate weather and about
6 inches of snow.. brrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
moon prediction was right on!
Beautiful, & cold . . . winter at it's best.

To God be the Glory ~~ Great Things He Hath Done