What Causes a ‘Snow Globe’ Effect in the Sky?

Imagine you're looking at a snow globe, when you shake it, the little snowflakes swirl around and then settle down. Sometimes the sky looks like this too! It happens because tiny particles in the air move around with the wind, creating a swirling effect that makes the clouds look soft and fluffy.

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Examples

When you shake up a snow globe, tiny plastic balls swirl around like clouds in the sky.
On a cold day, when you see the sun surrounded by a glowing ring, it looks just like a snow globe that’s been shaken.
Sometimes when you walk outside after a storm, you’ll see the moon wrapped in a soft, glowing halo, it's like looking into a giant snow globe.

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Categories: Physics · atmosphere,light,weather