The Glory

Hidden Hills, California

February 17, 2021

Thanks to my friend Don for sharing this article with me. New item on my bucket list! The photo above (pun intended) was taken in Scotland.

The glory is a beautiful phenomenon that is often referred to as the pilot’s bow and is seen mostly by people who travel by airplane, according to Atmospheric Optics.

This spectacle occurs when sunlight interacts with tiny water droplets from mist or clouds. Additionally, the glory occurs “opposite the sun and is centered at the antisolar point and therefore below the horizon except at sunrise and sunset.”

Another notable characteristic feature of the glory is that it has a bright center with rings that are delicately colored. Starting off with the blue on the inside then moving on to greens to red and purple outside, there can often be up to three or four rings visible.

Prior to the days of air travel, glories in the past were spoken of by those who were into mountain climbing, states The Earth Sky. This phenomenon can be seen on hillsides, sea fog, and even indoors.