This also means that the Sun is hitting the rings edge-on ... and sometimes that misalignment means we cross the rings’ plane ...

PETOSKEY — If you looked up at the sky today and noticed a glowing ring around the sun, you’re not alone. That bright, circular halo is a natural optical phenomenon known as a sun halo ...

Though sun halos can happen year-round, they are especially noticeable in the winter when ice-filled cirrus clouds are more common.