Moonbow Or Lunar Halo Amazes, Frightens Netizens

Moonbow or Lunar Halo, a rainbow produced by light reflected off the surface of the moon, is currently a hot topic on social networking sites.

Moonbow in the Philippines (January 13, 2014)

Many netizens took to their social media accounts to express how amazed they are of the phenomenon that took place on Monday night. In fact, "Moon Is Awesome" is among the top trending topics on Twitter, as of this posting.

According to the United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Moonbow is fairly common. It occurs when high thin clouds containing millions of tiny ice crystals cover much of the sky. Each ice crystal acts like a miniature lens. Because most of the crystals have a similar elongated hexagonal shape, light entering one crystal face and exiting through the opposing face refracts 22 degrees, which corresponds to the radius of the Moonbow.

Meanwhile, A folklore links the halo around the Moon to an upcoming bad weather, causing a number of member of the online community to worry.

Wendy McCorry of ArmaghPlanet.com said there is some truth regarding the folklore since "ice crystals indicate the presence of high-altitude cirrus clouds, which typically precede a warm front by one or two days." A warm front is often associated with a low pressure system, which is commonly referred to as a storm, she added.

Were you able to witness the Moonbow? What can you say about it? Feel free to air your thoughts below.