RAINBOW > OPTICAL PHENOMENON > LEADS TO "GLORY"; A glory is an optical phenomenon that resembles an iconic saint's halo about the shadow of the observer's head.PHENOMENON < ARCS' of

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Glory (optical phenomenon)

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Glory with aircraft shadow in the center.

A glory is an optical phenomenon that resembles an iconic saint's halo about the shadow of the observer's head. The effect is believed to happen due to classical wave tunneling, when light nearby the droplet tunnels through air Ringed Glory and Brocken Spectre shadow from Hopegill Head, English Lake District. Vincent Lowe (photography site) saw this spectacular apparition in February 2006. The "Spectre" is the photographer's distorted shadow. Photo©Vincent Lowe, shown with permission.inside the droplet and, in the case of glory, is emitted backwards due to resonance effects.^[1]

The angular size is much smaller than a rainbow, about 5° to 20°, depending on the size of the droplets. The glory can only be seen when the observer is directly between the sun and cloud of refracting water droplets. Hence, it is commonly observed whilst airborne, with the glory surrounding the airplane's shadow on clouds (this is often called The Glory of the Pilot). Glories can also be seen from mountains and tall buildings, when there are clouds or fog below the level of the observer. The phenomenon is related to the optical phenomenon anthelion.

Theory[edit]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glory_(optical_phenomenon)

Solar glory and Spectre of the Brocken

The scientific explanation is still the subject of debates and research. In 1947, the Dutch astronomer Hendrik van de Hulstsuggested that surface waves are involved. He speculated that the colored rings of the glory are caused by two-ray interference between "short" and "long" path surface waves—which are generated by light rays entering the droplets at diametrically opposite points (both rays suffer one internal reflection)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glory_(optical_phenomenon)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glory_(optical_phenomenon)