Captivating 'Moon Halo' Illuminates the Night and Morning Skies

People in North Carolina observed a glowing ring around the moon, known as a "moon halo" or "22° halo." This optical illusion is caused by the refraction of moonlight from ice crystals in the upper atmosphere, creating a large bright ring. The halo is a sign of high, thin cirrus clouds containing millions of tiny ice crystals, which must be oriented and positioned correctly for the halo to appear.