The rare event was spotted on Sunday night and quickly attracted attention online. Photos and videos of the incident quickly spread on social media.
Skywatchers in St. Petersburg, Russia witnessed an unusual celestial sight when four moons appeared in the night sky.
The stunning sight left many stargazers stunned as the glowing shapes appeared to be on the side of the moon. (X@nexta_tv)The rare incident was spotted on Sunday night and clips of it quickly gained attention online. Users shared their amazement at the glowing formation above the Russian city.
The stunning sight left many stargazers stunned as bright shapes appeared on the side of the moon, creating the illusion of multiple lunar bodies.
(HT.com cannot independently verify the authenticity of the clip)
What caused the illusion?The spectacle was caused not by an extra moon, but by an atmospheric optical effect known as paracelina. They are often described as “moon dogs” and resemble sundogs formed around the sun.
Paracelina occurs when moonlight passes through ice crystals high in the atmosphere. These crystals are usually found in thin cirrus or cirrostratus clouds at high altitudes. Their flat, hexagonal shape allows them to bend light in a precise way, acting like miniature prisms in the sky.
How is the presence of paracelineAs light is refracted, bright spots appear on either side of the moon, usually about 22 degrees apart. These bright patches sit at the same height above the horizon as the moon. In rare cases, more than two paracelines can be seen, creating multiple moons in the sky, Skybrary reports.
The vertical size of these light spots depends on how much the ice crystals wobble as they fall through the air. Larger crystals form taller and more noticeable shapes.
When conditions are right, Paracelina can show faint colors. Red tones are often seen closest to the Moon, fading to pale orange and blue outwards. However, the colors are generally weak and often blend into a white halo around the moon.
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