02.12.2017 - Ice fog halos in the Erzgebirge

Observers: Claudia and Wolfgang Hinz Date: 02.12.2017 Time: 03:00 - 04:15 AM (Moon) and 09:00 - 02:00 PM (Sun)

After polar air flowed in, fog formed in the valleys during the night from December 1st to 2nd, 2017. Claudia Hinz was able to repeatedly observe the lower tangent arc and partially the subsundog from the 1214m high Fichtelberg in the low-lying sea of clouds. Around 3:45 AM, individual clouds rose from the valley, bringing a complex halo phenomenon for 5 minutes, which is certainly rare on the moon.

During the day, Wolfgang Hinz took over further observation at the Ore Mountains ridge. Even at the sun, the halo types changed quite quickly. The total of 16 visually observed halo types with 19 appearances repeatedly formed into phenomena. In the images, two more types of halos can be discerned (subsun arc, anthelion). The halos were seen on Fichtelberg and its ascent, on the border with Bohemia and in Neklid, as well as on the way home towards Tellerhäuser at Bächlhäusl.

Some halos lasted only a few minutes, while, for example, the 22° ring and the sundogs were visible from 9:30 - 13:00 CET. However, the halos were visible earlier and also after 13:00.