Lunar Corona, the Waxing Gibbous Moon and old church in Normandy, France

The photo above showing a corona enshrouding the waxing gibbous Moon was observed above a lovely old church in Normandy, France. Jupiter is to the right of the Moon.   Photographer: Laaifat Mohamed;  Laaifat’s Web site

Note the crescent shape of the clouds — and the corona. The metallic colors of a corona results when minute water droplets that compose mid-level clouds are of the right size to deflect moonlight. The moonlight is bent and spread out by these tiny droplets in such a way to produce overlapping colors. Photo taken on December 7, 2011.

via EPOD