It’s amazing how a drop of water, a particle of dust or even a ray of light can be such a beautiful sight! Today, we will journey into the world of Atmospheric Optics. Navigation is very easy as well! You’ll find all of the sections beneath the main image and introduction. They are:
Today’s Feature – Here you will find the highlighted image of the day. There will always be an explanation about it on the right side of the page as well. At the top of the page, you’ll find a navigation strip. If you press the left arrow, you’ll go back through the previous entries. If you press the right arrow, you’ll go to the What’s New page.
Rays/Shadows – Have you ever wondered why sunsets look the way they do? Or, why the sun and moon sometimes look distorted? Well, this is where you’ll find the answers to those questions! From the side menu, you can choose to navigate to different parts of this section or move on to the next area.
Water Droplets – This section discusses the effect water has on light and how we see it. This is where you can learn about Fogbows, Glory and even Heiligenschien, which I found to be the most fascinating.
Rainbows – Rainbows are probably the most commonly known optical treats and here you will learn all about their different types. It was really interesting to find out how many different types there are and the different circumstances that create them.
What’s New – Here you will find the latest additions to the Web site. You can check here for recent updates as well. The most recent addition while I was visiting was from March 7, 2008 when they featured halos.
Ice Halos – I was very intrigued by the ice halos, especially after seeing the reference image on the page. Here you not only learn about ice halos on Earth, but you also get a chance to explore what ice halos might be like on other planets.
High Atmosphere – This section discusses one of my favorite atmospheric events: the Aurora Borealis! It’s by far one of the most amazing displays a person could ever see. Although, I must admit, I was blown away by the photos of rocket trails in this section as well.
I think you will find this site to be an amazing look into the world of atmospheric optics. Some of the marvels are incredibly amazing, so check it out today!
~ Amanda