I'm wondering if any of you have ever seen a ring around the moon

[democratreformed]

Tonight, there was a perfect circular ring around the moon. Have any of you seen this before? Do you know what it is?

[DebJ]

1. superstition is that this means it will rain soon

[Red State Rebel]

34. According to my Mom who was raised in the country...

you count the number of stars inside the ring and thats how many days until we get rain.

[BlueJazz]

2. I thinks it's called "Moon Dogs" caused...

by high atmospheric ice crystals.

[Aristus]

3. Pretty common celestial phenomenon. Moisture in the upper

atmosphere crystallizes and refracts the light of the moon into a ring. Means rain (or snow) is on the way. Rings around the sun have also been seen, although they are less common. They are known as "sundogs". Does that help?

[democratreformed]

5. Thanks

Yes, it helps. I had never seen one before.

[AndyP]

4. there is water in the atmosphere

and when the light hits it, it refracts toward you. it's only a ring because water refracts light only at a certain angle.

[snoochie]

6. Seen it but don't know what causes it. (nt)

edit: wow those responses were quick. :)

[Gloria]

7. Yes, I've seen it..but.there's something else you can see every full

moon that is sort of fun.

The Moon Rabbit.....I used to teach the little story about the Moon Rabbit to grade school kids when they came to the library. It's from a Chinese story.

Anyway, when there is a full moon, look at the dark areas....the Moon Rabbit is positioned, belly/face up along the left side--facing toward the left side, from top to bottom. (ears at the top, curving toward the center top.)

Out here in NM, the moon is so bright that it is very easily seen...But I had kids seeing it in NJ, too.....

[democratreformed]

10. That is cool

I'll look for it next time.

[democratreformed]

8. Thanks for all your replies. n/t

[Tripper11]

9. I saw that once...

in Northern Ontario when my friend and I were making our way westward, moving to vancouver. We had just smoked a little something something and stopped (potty break) in the middle of nowhere. I looked up at the moon while taking care of business and was blown away by the brightness of the moon and this massive circle around the moon. It was one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen, sure wish I got a picture of it.

[democratreformed]

11. Yeah, my daughter was gonna take a pic tonight but her battery was

dead. It figures!

[Tripper11]

12. That sucks..would have loved to have seen that. n/t

[Auntie Bush]

19. It really paid to stop and take care of business

I see that big ring around the moon frequently.

[Tripper11]

13. Did it look like this?

[democratreformed]

17. Yep, that's it. n/t

[DianeG5385]

14. Yes, often.

It means there's alot of moisture in the air

[pacifictiger]

15. growing up on boats

I still trust what I read in the sky before the tv weatherman. As the previous poster said ring around the moon is rain on the way (I suppose snow in higher lattitudes). Another one is if you see an exceptionally clear day, there will often be a storm 1-3 days later.

[camero]

16. Ring around the moon means rain

Seen em many a time. It's an old wives tale I think but it's pretty accurate. Have you seen a ring around the sun? I have.

[democratreformed]

18. No, this was the first time I have ever seen anything like this

The rest of my family too. Actually, hubby saw it first and said "Come look at this." Then, he called my daughter and son-in-law and told them to go look.

[camero]

20. Whenever I see them

It usually rains within the next 2 days. They are pretty.

I have only seen a ring around the sun once and I was in awe of it.

There's folklore attached to that too.

[democratreformed]

22. So what does the ring around the sun mean? n/t

[camero]

25. It's a Native American tale

Or could be real, I don't know. But I heard it means that you advance to the next level of existance in the next life.

[democratreformed]

26. Wow, thanks for sharing that. n/t

[DoYouEverWonder]

33. I don't know but I saw one once

on Miami Beach in 1977. They said people saw it all along the east coast that day.

I've also seen a few moon rings, but they are much more common.

[camero]

38. Thanks

I was starting to think I was the only one who saw one. :)

[supernova]

21. Ring around the moon? Means frozen stuff

within 9 days around here. Usually that's a winter phenom here in NC. And in the week afterwards we get either freezing rain, snow, or sleet. :scared: :scared:

[democratreformed]

23. Ugh, I hope it don't mean any frozen stuff here.

Ugh again.

[supernova]

29. Depends on the temp I guess

but I do love to see the ring. It's very... otherworldly, ephmeral.

[Skittles]

24. ICE CRYSTALS. - the reflection of moonlight from ice crystals

in the upper atmosphere. I've seen it (beautiful) and my dad (meteorologist) told me what it was. Read about it here:

http://imagine.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/ask_astro/answers/970102b.html

[Dookus]

27. a couple weeks ago

during a full moon, we had a perfect double rainbow around the moon. It's caused by TWO layers of frozen ice in the upper atmosphere... it was beautiful. You could see the individual colors in each rainbow.

[democratreformed]

28. I would have liked to have seen that too n/t

[Dookus]

31. It was pretty exceptional

and definitely beautiful. I watched it for a long time.

[flowomo]

30. Yes....

but some little guy with big feet threw it in a volcano.

[Crachet2004]

32. I think it is called a "Nimbus" it's like a halo. Around the moon is a..

a sign of rain

[EstimatedProphet]

35. Ice crystals in the upper atmosphere

You may get rain soon

[slinkerwink]

36. I have in Santa Fe---it took my breath away because it was so beautiful

[banana republican]

37. Yes

and once it was a rainbow.