Dictionary term
Circumzenithal Arc
Direct answer
Circumzenithal Arc: A Circumzenithal Arc is a bright, strongly colored ice-crystal arc high above the Sun and curved around the zenith.
A Circumzenithal Arc is an upside-down rainbow-like halo high in the sky.
A Circumzenithal Arc is an upside-down rainbow-like halo high in the sky.
A Sun–Earth orientation for seasonal, atmospheric, tidal, and terrestrial terms.Quick reference
- Use when
- Use Circumzenithal Arc in halo guides when the Sun is low enough and cirrus plate crystals are present.
- Do not use it for
- Do not call every overhead rainbow fragment a Circumzenithal Arc; check its orientation relative to the Sun.
- Reference category
- Seasons & Earth Almanac
- Related terms
- Sundog, Glory, Astronomical Season, Equinox
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The story behind Circumzenithal Arc
Ray-path analysis showed that sunlight enters the top face and exits a side face of horizontally oriented hexagonal plates.
Circumzenithal Arc in spiritual tradition
Spiritually, the Circumzenithal Arc rewards looking beyond the horizon without requiring symbolic certainty.
Circumzenithal Arc: fact and faith, kept distinct
This is a factual calendar, astronomy, Earth-science, cultural-history, or observational reference. It can support wonder and practical planning without becoming a claim of fate, spiritual causation, or private revelation.
Circumzenithal Arc in numerology
Circumzenithal Arc is not a numerology claim. Any numbers attached to it should retain their ordinary scientific, calendrical, navigational, or historical meaning unless a separate symbolic interpretation is clearly labeled.
Why Circumzenithal Arc matters
Its vivid spectral separation and high position make it one of the most distinctive plate-crystal halo forms.
Circumzenithal Arc at work: an example
The arc can appear above a 22-degree halo when the Sun is below roughly 32 degrees altitude.
Where interpretation stops
Circumzenithal Arc is presented as sourced astronomy, calendrical, Earth-science, cultural, or instrument-history reference. Definitions should distinguish measured phenomena from civil convention and historical interpretation, preserve location and time dependencies, and avoid turning factual sky data into a deterministic personal claim.
Sources and editorial method
Research references used for this entry include:
- National Weather Service: Atmospheric Optics - NWS science reference for halos, pillars, sundogs, green flashes, rays, and related optical displays.
- Source
- The Great Almanac Dictionary
- Category
- Seasons & Earth Almanac
- Also appears in
- Seasons & Earth Almanac
- Aliases
- None listed
- Last updated
- 2026-07-16
Check high above the low Sun
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More in Seasons & Earth Almanac
Common questions
What is Circumzenithal Arc?
A Circumzenithal Arc is a bright, strongly colored ice-crystal arc high above the Sun and curved around the zenith.
How is Circumzenithal Arc used in an almanac?
Use Circumzenithal Arc in halo guides when the Sun is low enough and cirrus plate crystals are present.
What should I avoid when interpreting Circumzenithal Arc?
Do not call every overhead rainbow fragment a Circumzenithal Arc; check its orientation relative to the Sun.
