It wasn’t a Christmas miracle but yesterday a strange phenomenon occurred that was visible in the skies of Orange County. Here, the moon had a strange ring surrounding it. At first glance, you may think this was the work of a camera lens or editing. However, this was not the case. Naturally, this got locals wondering about the origins of the bizarre moon and why it was surrounded by a thin ring.

News of the moon was shared on Reddit by a curious photographer. Here, others correctly told them that this was the work of a halo moon. This is a scientific term that describes a rare and visually interesting occurrence.

A halo moon, also known as a lunar halo, is an optical illusion caused by the refraction of moonlight from ice crystals in the upper atmosphere. These ice crystals act like tiny prisms, bending the moonlight and creating a large, bright ring that surrounds the moon. The ring is often visible on cold, clear nights, and can appear to be quite striking and beautiful. The halo is an optical illusion, meaning that it’s not actually a physical ring surrounding the moon, but rather an effect created by the way the light is bent and scattered in the atmosphere.