Pilots Glory

A glory is an optical phenomenon that resembles an iconic saint's halo about the shadow of the observer. They are formed when light is scattered backwards by individual water droplets. Glories, like rainbows, are always directly opposite the sun, centered at the antisolar point. You can see them whenever mist or a cloud is beneath you and the sun breaks through to shine on it.

 

Glories have a bright center and their rings are delicately colored, blue on the inside changing through greens to red and purple outside. Sometimes three or even four rings are visible.

 

Shadows converge on the antisolar point and so glories are nearly always accompanied by your shadow or that of the aircraft you are in.

 

Glories are often seen from aircraft. Get a seat opposite the sun and watch them ring the aircraft's shadow - or more accurately, where your own shadow would be.

 

So from the shadow in this image you can see that it was taken from the pilots seat.

 

Done