You Can Wear Your Own Halo

If you look down at a cloud or mist with the sun behind you, you might see a glowing halo around your shadow. This rare optical illusion is created when light bounces off tiny water droplets.

This phenomenon is known as a glory, and it appears exclusively around the shadow of the observer. Because you are the only one perfectly positioned to see your own shadow, everyone else in a group will see their own private halo instead. It is easy to mistake this for a circular rainbow, but the science behind the light scattering is completely different. Seeing your personal ring of light while hiking or flying is a truly magical experience.