The 22-Degree Halo of May 31, 2025

On May 31, 2025, the sky offered a stunning optical phenomenon: a 22-degree halo encircling the sun, visible in broad daylight. These halos are caused by sunlight refracting through millions of tiny hexagonal ice crystals suspended in the upper atmosphere, typically in cirrostratus clouds. The result is a perfect ring of light, 22 degrees from the sun, often with a subtle rainbow-like tint.

I was fortunate enough to witness and photograph this beautiful display using my Canon EOS 80D paired with a Sigma 10mm lens. The ultra-wide angle allowed me to capture the full halo in a single frame, preserving the grandeur of the moment. The clarity of the atmosphere and the positioning of the sun made conditions ideal for this kind of shot.

If you ever spot a thin veil of high clouds and notice a bright ring around the sun (or even the moon), take a moment to look up—it might just be a 22-degree halo. And if you have a wide-angle lens handy, you might capture something magical too.