Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Halo Around the Sun



Photo: Jim Tomsich

My brother-in-law, Jim Tomsich, took this spectacular picture of the huge halo around the sun. This phenomenon occurs when there are a multitude of miniature ice crystals in high, thin clouds covering much of the sky. The ice crystals serve as tiny lenses. Most of the ice crystals have long, hexagonal shapes. Light enters one face of the crystal and exits through the opposite face refracting 22 degrees. The exact radius of the Sun Halo. At night, a Moon Halo may be observed.


The simplest of things like ice, clouds and light are the ingredients of Earth's most astounding recipes. And when each crystal refracts 22 degrees and the Sun Halo's radius is 22 degrees, it makes me wonder if further out in the universe, there is another larger event holding that same 22 degree arc. I would be willing to bet that it is very likely. Mother Nature is fond of mimicking successful patterns.

In numerology, numbers are believed to link the human world to the conformation of the universe. The number 22 is called the Spiritual Master in Form or the Master Builder. People who are 22s often feel as if they exist in two very distant worlds. One world is ruled by the mundane, the other, by the fantastic. 22 contains the key to many esoteric questions as the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet suggest. In Tarot, there are 22 major arcanas and in many versions of the Kabbalah, there are 22 pathways. In the Revelation of John Bible, there are 22 chapters.

The maximum number of pieces that can be created by cutting a circle with six line segments is 22. When 22 is divided by 7, it is close to 1/4, the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter. In mathematics and religion and spirituality, the importance of the number 22 is seen again and again. The Master Builder of life. The Master Builder of the universe.


Photo: artgrav Photobucket.com

17 comments:

Dave King said...

Fabulous photographs and absolutely enthralling explanation. Thanks greatly!

Ronda Laveen said...

Awww, Dave. You are 2 sweet!

Brian Miller said...

and i thought life changed at 21...nice pics. interesting when all things intersect and you find congruencies in life....22. have a great tuesday.

Candie said...

wow,just love it.Thanks for sharing that amazing picture and all those informations.
have a nice day!

Ronda Laveen said...

Brian: LoL. Life DOES change at 21. But that was long ago for me so I kinda forgot. Life is full on congruencies.

Candie: Jim did get an amazing photo didn't he. He was at work and looked up over his shop and there it was. I love the way the sun takes on a star shape.

tony said...

.......Mother Nature is fond of mimicking successful patterns..........Yes.!!!!! Great Photo & Thoughts.Have A Fine Week Ronda.

Ronda Laveen said...

Thanks, Tony. U2.

Evening Light Writer said...

Ronda, I was 22 when I graduate college, that was a huge year for me. I am always amazed when things that seem remotely different are always the same. I dont think I've ever noticed a halo around the sun..I'm going to have to start looking up more.

Evening Light Writer said...

After seeing the mistakes I made in my comments..maybe I'd better go back to college, HA!

You always find a great balance in your posts of entertaining and informing. This is a rare gift to have as a writer.

Mrsupole said...

Ronda,
That picture was amazing and I noticed the shape of the sun too. I think it is a hexagon because it has six sides. A lot of neat info on the number 22, I think that a lot of numbers can have many different meanings. But I have never seen so much info about 22. Today is the 22nd and so I am hoping you have a great day. Also hoping it cools down today. I am sick of it being over 100. 22 degrees sounds pretty good right now. We never get that cold, but it just sounds good anyway.

God bless.

Dot-Com said...

Wow, I never knew what caused a halo around the sun or moon. Cool picture! Think I have one of the moon dressed in a halo - I like experimenting with night pictures :-)

Anonymous said...

Hmmm...I pause to think. I think good thoughts on this post. And super shot o' Sol!

Leah said...

ice, clouds, and light...beautiful.

Ronda Laveen said...

Mindy: You are such a YOUNG BUNS. And now your younger sister is getting ready to graduate. It must be exciting for you to look back and see where you were only a few years ago.

Wow, I didn't even realize that I posted this so close to the 22nd. How funny. I know what you mean about the heat. I am used to 100 degree weather but not so early. Also used to 22 degress but would rather have it hot than cold.

Dot-Com: I would love to see one of you moon halo pictures.

Subby: Thanks, I'll let my brother-in-law know you enjoyed the pic.

Leah: Yes, ice, clouds, and light are BEAUTIFUL aren't they?

crone51 said...

I was born on the 22 as were both my sisters. Both houses I have owned have been street number 22. When I was 22 I traveled to Moscow and other points in Russia and to Western Europe as well. My eldest daughter is 22 now.
I, skeptic through and through, don't think all that much about this stuff anymore but I do take note of this number a lot - and our new president ( for whom I worked my saggy butt off during his campaign) is number twice 22 ( 44 of course) and for some reason I find that comforting. And of course 44 is also Reggie Jackson's number and ....I'll shut up now...

Ronda Laveen said...

Ruth: Wow! That is an amazing history you have with 22! A lot more people than I realized have a synchronicity with this number. Usually I hear a lot about 7 or 13 but not often 22. How funny Reggie and Barrack have the same number this year.

Anonymous said...

how often does this happen? It is july 23,2009 minnesota