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POLLEN CORONAS It begins with a sneeze. Pollen floating through the air tickles your nose, and your body responds by expelling the allergen. Gesundheit! When the paroxysm subsides, look up at the sky. The same pollen that makes you sneeze can also make beautiful coronas around the sun, like this one photographed on May 24th by Peter Paul Hattinga Verschure of Deventer, the Netherlands.  "Springtime pollen was drifting through the air of Deventer," says Verschure. "Hiding the sun behind a lamp post revealed this corona no more than 3 degrees wide." Sharpening the image uncovers an even wider network of colorful rings.  Atmospheric optics expert Les Cowley explains the phenonenon: "Coronas are produced when light waves scatter from the outsides of small particles. Tiny droplets of water in clouds make most coronas, but opaque equal-sized pollen grains do even better. They make small but very colorful multi-ringed coronas." "Unlike water droplets, pollens are non-spherical, and this adds to their magic," he continues. "Many have air sacs to help carry them in the wind. These align the grains to give beautiful elliptical coronas with bright spots." This is why Verschure's pollen corona looks the way it does. As northern spring unfolds, pollen coronas become increasingly common. Look for them the next time your nose feels a tickle. |
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