176 DR. C. B. PLOWRIGHT ON SOLAR HALO AND MOCK SUN. 
but gradually were reduced to a point. The upper one almost 
reached the parhelion, the inferior was lost on the horizon. This 
last phase was not of long duration, as the sun was clouded over 
shortly after three o’clock. 
I have not been able to find that any one else in Norfolk noticed 
this parhelion ; and, as has been stated above, unless they had chanced 
to see the halo at its brightest (about 2 o’clock), and watched the 
various stages through which it passed, it is very unlikely that the 
true meaning of the bright area in the clouds could have been 
realised. It is very satisfactory, however, to find that an observer 
at Fleet in Hampshire also witnessed it, and sent the subjoined 
account to the ‘ Times,’ 25th December. 
A Solar Phenomenon. — “ C. J. L.” writes from Fleet, Hants, 
under date December 22nd : — “ A strange and, I think, most rare 
and unusual solar phenomenon has taken place here this morning. 
The sun was at first surrounded with a well-defined halo, which 
gradually assumed a heavier and darker form, ultimately presenting 
a vast and dense ring, the radius of which from the sun to the outer 
edge of the ring being about 20°. At the zenith of the ring was 
a rudimentary mock sun, not so brilliant as its primary, but 
sufficiently bright as to dazzle the eye. Subtended upon the circle 
was a small segment of a second ring, which appeared to start from 
the somewhat vaguely formed parhelion. About 20° from a corona 
of light surrounding the periphery, which appeared to emanate 
from the nether side of the dark ring, was a beautiful rainbow 
encircling the whole, exhibiting all the prismatic colours. The 
nadir of the rainbow (or, rather, fog-bow), and also of the dark 
circle was concealed behind a low bank of cloud. Viewed from 
the summit of one of the high hills in this neighbourhood, the 
spectacle was striking and impressive in the extreme. After a short 
time gathering clouds concealed the pageant from view, but an 
occasional break revealed the dark ring as still in existence, though 
the rainbow was not apparent.” 
C. J. L. does not mention the vertical line, but he speaks of the 
parhelion as being sufficiently bright to dazzle the eye, and of 
prismatic colours in the halo which we did not see in Norfolk. 
Mr. W. N. Shaw, of the Meteorological Office, kindly informed 
me that a solar halo was noted in London at 8 a.m. on the same 
day. It is probable, therefore, that this halo lasted all day, and 
