I was sitting in the office doing my desk work when I got a call from my dad, who works outdoors at a nearby theme park. “Go outside and look up,” he told me. The dutiful son (most times, anyway) that I am, that’s precisely what I did. Upon stepping outside and looking up, I spied a beautiful, large sun halo. I snapped about 2 dozen photos of the sun halo with my smart phone and proceeded to head back inside so I could find out more about this incredible phenomenon. As a life-long … [Read more...]
The Science Behind Rainbow Colors: Little Known Secrets About Rainbows
I bet you didn't know that when you shine a flashlight creating a beam of white light, within that beam all the colors of the rainbow exist. That simple white beam of light is actually a combination of purple, blue, green, yellow, orange and red colored beams. If you take that beam of white light and send it through a glass prism, the different colors will show themselves vividly as they exit at a different angle. Rainbows are created in a similar manner. … [Read more...]
Ice Crystals Beautify The Sky With Sun Dogs, Halos, & Sun Pillars
Ice crystals do a lot more than give cirrus clouds wispy tails. Ice crystals are responsible for some beautiful and colorful light shows in the sky. Sometimes (especially in the winter), you can look up in the sky near sunrise or sunset and see bands of color in the clouds. These bands of color are caused by ice crystals, which can bend light and create spectrums of color not unlike those seen in a rainbow. While the ice crystal displays are not rainbows, the colors can be just as … [Read more...]
Cumulonimbus Clouds & Nimbostratus Clouds: Rain-Makers That Can Bring Severe Weather
Rain, rain, go away, come again another day... Many of us remember singing that song when we were kids. Well, if we were hoping to chase the rain away, we were probably hoping to get rid of the cumulonimbus clouds that produced that rain. Why? Because cumulonimbus clouds are a common type of cloud that makes rain. Cumulonimbus clouds and nimbostratus clouds can also can produce snow, hail, sleet, and other forms of precipitation. What's Nimbus Mean? Clouds are generally named after … [Read more...]
Tips For Viewing Sun Dogs – No, They’re Not Rainbows!
Ever hear of a sundog? While some people may think of a golden retriever or dachshund sitting in a lawn chair and basking in the sun, a real sun dog has nothing to do with dogs. But they sure do have a lot to do with the sun! By the way, sun dogs, are often referred to by their Latin name: parhelion (or parhelia, when referring to more than one parhelion). Sun dogs are also sometimes called "mock suns." Okay, so what exactly are sun dogs?... … [Read more...]
Fun Things To Do With Kids In The Snow
Instead of hibernating in the house, watching TV and playing video games, why not relieve the winder blahs by getting outside with your kids? You'll be able to enjoying the beauty of the season and have some fun with your kids at the same time. Last year my grandsons and I built 2 snow houses. It was a lot of fun. The boys and I spent the entire day playing in the snow. The best part was that the temperatures stayed cold for several weeks and the boys and their friends had a lot of fun … [Read more...]
Fun Things To Do With Clouds
Here are some really fun pictures you can create using just a blue sky, some clouds in the sky, and various props of your of choosing.The best part: No photo editing is needed!Yet the end result will look so amazing, that people will think your photos aren't real.Have a look... … [Read more...]
Ring Around The Moon Explained: Can Those Rings Around The Moon Really Predict Weather?
It's not a sign telling us the end of the world is near. It's not a sign of the Second Coming of Christ. Heck it's not much of a sign at all! It is, however, a beautiful thing we sometimes see in the night sky. It's another beautiful part of nature. It's the ring around the moon... … [Read more...]
