Is it a UFO? Sun halo sparks fear and jokes in Mexico

Is it a UFO? Sun halo sparks fear and jokes in Mexico
http://cdn.phys.org/newman/csz/news/...aloaroundt.jpg
http://phys.org/news/2015-05-ufo-sun-halo-mexico.html

Was it a UFO? A sign that the end is nigh?

A rainbow-like halo surrounded the sun over Mexico City on Thursday,
an optical phenomenon that triggered a social media frenzy of
pictures and jokes about the end of the world.

--

sci.physics is an unmoderated newsgroup dedicated to the discussion
of physics, news from the physics community, and physics-related
social issues.

On Friday, May 22, 2015 at 7:49:44 PM UTC-6, Sam Wormley wrote:

A rainbow-like halo surrounded the sun over Mexico City on Thursday,
an optical phenomenon that triggered a social media frenzy of
pictures and jokes about the end of the world.

Here in Edmonton, I've seen sundogs, but where it is warm instead of cold, I suppose they are not seen too often.

John Savard

On Saturday, 23 May 2015 23:34:17 UTC+2, Quadibloc wrote:
On Friday, May 22, 2015 at 7:49:44 PM UTC-6, Sam Wormley wrote:

A rainbow-like halo surrounded the sun over Mexico City on Thursday,
an optical phenomenon that triggered a social media frenzy of
pictures and jokes about the end of the world.

Here in Edmonton, I've seen sundogs, but where it is warm instead of cold, I suppose they are not seen too often.

Atmospheric solar phenomena are surely not so uncommon that anyone but the uneducated and superstitious would be confused?

The most confusing thing I've ever seen was a sky covered in perfectly straight, narrow bars of cloud.
With each stripe separated by short, near-identical, equidistant columns to make a perfect geometric grid.
Even so, I felt no urgent need to start murdering my neighbours to appease the gods.
Well, let's just say, no more urgent than usual. ;ø)

On Sat, 23 May 2015 23:48:45 -0700 (PDT), "Chris.B"
wrote:

Atmospheric solar phenomena are surely not so uncommon that anyone but the uneducated and superstitious would be confused?

You said it. In the U.S., around half of all adults queried said that
the Moon is only visible at night. A great many people never look up,
especially during the day.

On Sunday, May 24, 2015 at 3:43:05 PM UTC+1, Chris L Peterson wrote:
On Sat, 23 May 2015 23:48:45 -0700 (PDT), "Chris.B"
wrote:

Atmospheric solar phenomena are surely not so uncommon that anyone but the uneducated and superstitious would be confused?

You said it. In the U.S., around half of all adults queried said that
the Moon is only visible at night. A great many people never look up,
especially during the day.

You look out at the moon Peterson,you look out and not up as your celestial sphere cult are want to do.

It takes a peculiar type of personality to believe that the moon spins as it orbits the Earth because they follow an individual who mistook the awkward phrasing of 'revolution' for 'rotation' in Kepler's Somnium even though Kepler was clear on the rotation of the Sun and the Earth but just as clear about a non-rotating moon -

"The Sun and the Earth rotate on their own axes...The purpose of this
motion is to confer motion on the planets located around them;on the
six primary planets in the case of the Sun,and on the moon in the case
of the Earth.On the other hand the moon does not rotate on the axis of
its own body,as its spots prove " Kepler

The idea of a spinning moon in an era when men have landed on the moon is as anachronistic as the 'solar vs sidereal' fiction - people making a mockery of themselves and what it means to be reasonable and intelligent.

So Peterson, look out at the moon and its phases as it orbits the Earth just as people look out at Venus and its phases which also tell a similar story -

http://www.masil-astro-imaging.com/S...age%20flat.jpg

On Sunday, May 24, 2015 at 10:43:05 AM UTC-4, Chris L Peterson wrote:
On Sat, 23 May 2015 23:48:45 -0700 (PDT), "Chris.B"
wrote:

Atmospheric solar phenomena are surely not so uncommon that anyone but the uneducated and superstitious would be confused?

You said it. In the U.S., around half of all adults queried said that
the Moon is only visible at night.

Probably half or more of adults in MOST countries don't know that the Moon can be seen in the daylight. The fact that it can be seen doesn't tend to appear in textbooks, so most people would only learn it on their own (as I did, as a young child.)

A great many people never look up,
especially during the day.

I have seen people walking around oblivious to rainbows and halos plainly visible. If I point these phenomena out, those people tend to be astonished at seeing them.

peterson, you would be wise to consider that there are a great many things of which you know little, and that those who do know such things are likely to be more tolerant of your ignorance than you seem to be of theirs.

On Tue, 26 May 2015 07:36:22 -0700 (PDT), wrote:

You said it. In the U.S., around half of all adults queried said that
the Moon is only visible at night.

Probably half or more of adults in MOST countries don't know that the Moon can be seen in the daylight.

I'd say _developed_ countries. People in less developed areas tend to
be a bit more in touch with their environment. The awareness is also
higher in rural areas. Cities- and city culture- aren't friendly to
watching the sky.

I have seen people walking around oblivious to rainbows and halos plainly visible. If I point these phenomena out, those people tend to be astonished at seeing them.

Yeah, I've seen the same thing.

On 5/26/15 9:36 AM, wrote:
Probably half or more of adults in MOST countries don't know that the Moon can be seen in the daylight.

That's bull**** -- most humans have observed the daytime moon.

--

sci.astro.amateur is an unmoderated newsgroup dedicated to the
discussion of amateur astronomy, news from the observer community,
and observational astronomy-related social issues.

On Tuesday, May 26, 2015 at 10:48:18 AM UTC-4, Sam Wormley wrote:
On 5/26/15 9:36 AM, wsnell01 wrote:
Probably half or more of adults in MOST countries don't know that the Moon can be seen in the daylight.

That's ******* -- most humans have observed the daytime moon.

Watch your language when responding to me.

Many people have seen the Moon at dusk or dawn. In broad daylight sightings are far less likely.

On Tue, 26 May 2015 09:48:16 -0500, Sam Wormley
wrote:

On 5/26/15 9:36 AM, wrote:
Probably half or more of adults in MOST countries don't know that the Moon can be seen in the daylight.

That's bull**** -- most humans have observed the daytime moon.

I'm regularly astonished by the number of adults I talk to who have no
idea the Moon can be seen in the day.