Hong Kong experienced a mesmerizing natural phenomenon as a halo effect graced the city, captivating the public with its enchanting display. The halo, formed when sunlight interacts with ice crystals in the atmosphere, could only be witnessed under specific meteorological conditions.
The Hong Kong Observatory shared captivating images of the halo above its headquarters on social media, urging residents to share their own pictures of this circular spectacle. Numerous individuals promptly took to social media, sharing their awe-inspiring views of the halo and engaging in discussions about this extraordinary meteorological marvel that has made multiple appearances this month.
Jennifer Yip Ling, a scientific officer at the Observatory, shed light on the phenomenon, explaining that halos can occur throughout the year and have been observed in Hong Kong in recent years. When weather conditions align, the halo manifests as a circular or curved ray of white light encircling the sun, creating a breathtaking halo effect.
The formation of a halo relies on the presence of high clouds, where ice crystals form and facilitate favorable conditions for halo formation. Yip elaborated that sunlight must pass through these layers, reflecting or refracting off the suspended ice crystals in the atmosphere. High clouds typically manifest at altitudes ranging from 23,000 feet (7,010 meters) to 40,000 feet, appearing translucent and arising from the aggregation of ice crystals.
The appearance of a halo sometimes coincides with the presence of "sundogs," which are bright spots in the sky resembling the sun. The Observatory noted the occurrence of a small halo around noon and again at 1 pm at their Tsim Sha Tsui headquarters on the day of the phenomenon. A small halo exhibits an angular radius of 22 degrees and may display a pale red lining or a purple aura at times.
While large halos with an angular radius of 46 degrees exist, they are less commonly observed in Hong Kong and are dimmer compared to their smaller counterparts. Yip emphasized the importance of caution when observing halos and advised the public to protect their eyes, as direct exposure to intense sunlight can lead to vision impairment.
This captivating natural phenomenon serves as a reminder of the beauty and wonder that can be found in the world around us.
壯觀的暈輪現象震撼香港市民
香港迎來了一個令人驚嘆的自然現象，一道暈輪效果迷住了公眾，令他們陶醉其中。這個暈輪是在特定的氣象條件下，當陽光與大氣中的冰晶相互作用時形成的。
香港天文台在社交媒體上分享了令人驚嘆的暈輪照片，熱切呼籲市民們分享他們所在地區看到的這個圓形奇景。許多人迅速在社交媒體上分享了他們對暈輪的觀察，並參與了對這個非凡氣象奇觀的討論。今年已經多次出現這種現象。
天文台的科學官員葉玲解釋了這個現象，她說暈輪全年都可以形成，近年來在香港已經觀察到多次。當氣象條件合適時，暈輪會呈現環繞太陽的白色圓形或彎曲光線，創造出令人驚嘆的暈輪效果。
暈輪的形成需要高層雲，這裡冰晶形成並為暈輪的形成提供了有利條件。葉玲進一步解釋，陽光必須穿過這些雲層，在大氣中懸浮的冰晶上反射或折射。高層雲通常形成在海拔23,000英尺（7,010米）至40,000英尺的位置，看起來半透明，由冰晶凝聚而成。
暈輪的出現有時會伴隨著「日狗」，這是天空中類似太陽的亮點。天文台指出，在該現象的當天，他們在中環天文台午間和下午1時分別觀察到一個小的暈輪。小暈輪的角半徑為22度，有時可能呈現淡紅色的輪廓或紫色的光暈。
雖然大暈輪的角半徑為46度，但在香港的觀察較少，並且相對較暗淡。葉玲強調觀察暈輪時要小心，並建議公眾保護好眼睛，因為直接暴露在強烈陽光下可能導致視力受損。
這個迷人的自然現象提醒我們，世界上到處都充滿了美麗和奇妙之處。
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