There was a nice sun halo today. Got a call from someone in hysterics because she was told that it is a sign of the end times. (wtf!!)
Yip, we sacrificed a few virgin puppies to ensure that we remain in Ra’s, Helios’s, Surya’s, Sol’s and Apollo’s good graces – just in case, you know… :
'Luthon64
Got to love people’s reactions from Johannesburg sun halo explained | News24
panjo 2010/11/01 11:47:51 AM This is just God appreciating Zuma for firing nyanda and Hogan.
I had no less than 12 requests from staff wanting to go home because they’d like to spend the last few hours of the world’s existence with their families…
I also had three “urgent” meetings with people that saw it as a sure sign of impending doom in their personal lives. (and one positive one who said its a sign from god that he is blessing her upcoming marriage)
I’m not sure whether stupidity is catching but sometimes I become quite uncomfortable with the amount of it surrounding me.
Nice pic Mandarb! Mind if I use it? I won’t sell it but I run some mobile planetariums and it is a very nice pic. Much better than my attempts.
I know it’s got more to do with the whether than astronomy but you have to explain it to the man on the street.
That’s a good pic Mandarb. I tried taking some, but I couldn’t get a good one. Did you use a proper camera? Please tell me you didn’t take that with your Nokia.
wtf is wrong with people?
are they so desperately unhappy with their lives, and wanting to DIE, that any excuse for end of times will do?
i mean, seriously?
are we living in the goddamn stone ages?
does NOBODY have access to google?
i hate my species.
used a mik and druk for this one.
my larnie D3000 couldnt zoom out far enough.
Welcome to use it, I can post a larger version as well if you need it.
GCG, what lens were you using? I took that with my 18-55mm, and it was just barely not wide enough. A friend has a full frame 5D, and he took one with a 24mm lens
Thanks
the 18-55. dont have anything less than that.
so i used the nikon coolpix for a wider shot (since it doesnt really have a lens), but even that struggled.
Here’s the internal e-mail from yesterday - names removed to protect the clueless. 
The photo was similar to the one taken by Mandarb below.
From: Steve
Sent: 01 November 2010 11:09 AM
To: ‘[email protected]’
Subject: RE: FW: Photos - SunNot the end of the world – ice crystal high up in the atmosphere reflecting and refracting the light. Brilliant photo though….
Given that the sun is about half way through its life, we have got another 4.5 billion years before the sun starts to die and the world ends. When it does, it will expand and swallow up the earth – sun screen will be the top selling product in pharmacy!
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/55/Solar_Life_Cycle.svg
Regards,
Steve-----Original Message-----
From:
Sent: 01 November 2010 10:42 AM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Fwd: FW: Photos - SunIf you guys didn’t know… this was a picture of the sun a couple of hours ago, it looked amazing. Susi and I thought it was the end of the world
Don’t know if it still looks like that if you maybe want to go outside and have a look…
I was solemnly informed that this is proof that global warming doesn’t exist. After all, if there were warming how could there be ice crystals? In Africa, nogal?
Maybe you should suggest they take a flight in the cargo hold of a plane at 30 000 feet and then continue the debate about that afterwards?
Here’s my pic:
http://forum.skeptic.za.org/general-skepticism/sun-halo/?action=dlattach;attach=538
It was taken with my mik en druk. I was hiding behind the garage door, focusing into space trying not to get arc eye!