The bright light, cut in half by the upper edge of the picture, is the Moon. The rainbow coloured "cuppola" that appears to rest on the ground is called a lower tangent arc. Finnish amateur astronomer Arto OKSANEN photographed this spectacular lunar halo on November 22, 2004. The location was Jämsä, some 2 km (1.2 miles) north of the Himos Ski Centre, were snow guns were producing the ice mist that created this unique display.

For a picture of another extraordinary halo phenomenon captured on camera that same night, see OP-PM-02.

[© Arto OKSANEN - photo used with permission (more pictures by Arto OKSANEN can be viewed on nyrola.jklsirius.fi]