Sunday, 7 April 2013

Halo

At last, a slight taste of Spring this morning.  So with the sun shining on us, we set off along the old West Hallam Colliery railway towards Mapperley Village, returning along Slack Lane.  As we were approaching home, I noticed the sun had an almost complete halo around it.
Produced by the sunlight passing through ice crystals high in the troposphere between 3 and 6 miles up.  Sometimes also seen around the moon, the refracted light forms a ring 22° around the source.
As we made our way onto the old railway lines, we passed over the Nutbrook Canal, still looking rather wintry and overgrown with bare branched trees - as well as the pipeline crossing it at this point.  What exactly does this pipe carry?  And to where?
Reaching the village of Mapperley, we passed through the farmyard where we have previously been delighted by two donkeys who like their noses tickled.  We were glad to see they were still there and still wanting some fuss.
 Bless...!

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