Glories are seen with the naked eye. The weird weather image can appear to surround mountains or higher elevation objects. They can be seen looking up at a mountain or looking down upon clouds from an airplane.
It is caused when light scatters backward toward the viewer. And billions upon billions of water droplets, produce an oscillating pattern of colors ranging from golden to rainbow hues.
According to National Weather Service experts, glories show up at summits or in clouds “when light hits the little water droplets making up clouds or fog.”
“Brocken specters have the same requirements. When you cast your shadow down into clouds or fog, the light exaggerates your figure. You seem much larger and longer limbed, and you may appear to be moving because of movement in the water droplets.”
“These unnerving shapes coupled with glories fueled superstitions for centuries,” NWS added.
You may spot an angel, surrounded by a glowing golden light, or a saint surrounded by a circular rainbow. Keep in mind that according to science this is all shadows and light with water droplets added to give it color.
