Solar Halo in La Palma in Winter (and Other Incredible Optical Phenomena): Brocken Spectre, Sundogs and Light Pillars

In La Palma, the sky is not only enjoyed at night. In winter, the atmosphere can gift us spectacular light phenomena such as the 22° solar halo, the mysterious Brocken Spectre, and other optical effects that look like “magic”… but are actually pure physics.If you love astronomy, meteorology, or you are simply curious about the sky, this article is for you.And if you would like to learn how to observe (and photograph) these gifts from the sky, at La Palma Stars we have been doing exactly that for years with visitors from all over the world.

What Is a 22° Solar Halo and Why Does It Appear in Winter?

Sometimes winter brings a silent gift: a luminous ring around the Sun. That is a 22° solar halo. It is not a rainbow, not a camera filter, and not a strange phone effect. It is a real and very recognizable atmospheric phenomenon.

How a Solar Halo Forms

A halo forms when sunlight passes through ice crystals suspended in high-altitude clouds (usually cirrostratus clouds). These crystals are typically hexagonal and act like tiny prisms. The light is refracted (bent) as it passes through them, and due to geometry, the ring appears at a “typical” radius of 22 degrees from the Sun.

Solar halo seen from the Gran Telescopio Canarias (webcam 23/2026)

How to Recognize It (No Instruments Needed)

You see a circle (sometimes complete, sometimes partial) around the Sun.
It appears at a constant distance: 22° (a fist at arm’s length equals about 10°, so it’s a little more than two fists).
The inner edge may appear slightly reddish.
The sky often looks “milky” due to thin high clouds.

Besides being beautiful, it can also be a weather clue: the presence of cirrostratus clouds may indicate an approaching weather front. But most importantly, it makes you look up.

If you would like to learn more, you can consult: https://atoptics.co.uk/halo/halos.htm

Important: never look directly at the Sun. If you want to observe a solar halo, do so safely by placing the Sun behind the edge of a building, a pole, or another object to block direct glare.

With a full Moon, the same halo can also appear — but instead of the Sun, the Moon becomes the light source that produces the ring. This is known as a lunar halo.

Lunar halo seen from La Palma (the halo is incomplete and not fully visible in the photograph)

Brocken Spectre: When Your Shadow Becomes a Giant Above the Clouds

This is one of the most impressive mountain phenomena to witness. The Brocken Spectre occurs when:

You are in a high location (summit or viewpoint).
The Sun is behind you (low in the sky, especially effective at sunrise or sunset).
There is fog or a sea of clouds in front of you.

What Do You Actually See?

Your shadow is projected onto the mist and, due to perspective, appears enormous, like a giant human figure. Sometimes, colored rings called a glory appear around it, formed by light interacting with tiny water droplets (diffraction and backscattering).

If you have never seen it, here is a photo:

Brocken Spectre, Photography by Daniel López — Brocken Spectre from Tenerife, Photography by Daniel López

In La Palma, with our temperature inversions and seas of clouds, this phenomenon can certainly appear on very specific days. When it happens, people often fall silent… and then someone asks: “Did I just see a ghost?”

More information: Brocken Spectre https://www.britannica.com/science/Brocken-spectre

Other Optical Sky Phenomena You Can Observe (That Will Make You Doubt Your Eyes)

The solar halo and the Brocken Spectre are not alone. Here are other atmospheric effects caused by ice crystals or suspended droplets. Once you know them, you will start spotting them more often.

Sundogs (Parhelia)

Two bright spots appear to the left and right of the Sun at the same altitude. Sometimes it looks like there are three suns. They are related to the same optical family as the 22° halo.

Light Pillars

These are vertical columns of light visible at sunrise or sunset. They form when light reflects off ice crystals aligned in particular orientations. In photographs, they can look spectacular.

Circumzenithal Arc (“The Smile in the Sky”)

A colorful arc shaped like an upside-down smile that appears when the Sun is relatively low and ice crystals are present in high clouds. Many people mistake it for an “upside-down rainbow.”

Why Winter Is Peak Season for These Sky “Miracles”

In winter, several factors align:

High-altitude clouds with ice crystals are more common.
The Sun is lower in the sky during the day, favoring certain light angles.
The atmosphere can be more stable under specific inversion conditions.

The result: more opportunities to see halos, sundogs, light pillars… and, with some luck, a Brocken Spectre.

How to Photograph a Solar Halo or Brocken Spectre with Your Smartphone

Yes, you can photograph them with a smartphone — no need for the latest model. The key is understanding exposure and controlling glare.

Quick Smartphone Tips

Lower the exposure (most phones allow you to reduce brightness/EV by tapping and sliding on screen).
Avoid digital zoom; crop later if needed.
Block the Sun partially with an object (building edge, pole, rock) to prevent overexposure.
Clean the lens; even a fingerprint can reduce halo visibility.
For the Brocken Spectre, find high ground with the Sun behind you and fog or clouds ahead.

During our stargazing tours and sky observation experiences at La Palma Stars, we do not only look at the night sky — we also teach how to recognize these phenomena and capture them properly, even with your phone.

La Palma Stars: Learning to See the Sky Differently

At LaPalmaStars.com, we share the sky of La Palma with one clear idea:
learn how to observe.

Astronomy may begin at night — but wonder can start in broad daylight with a solar halo, a light pillar, or a Brocken Spectre above the sea of clouds.

If you enjoy articles like this, follow our blog and join us — here, the sky always has something new to reveal.

Have you ever seen a 22° halo?