by Chris Peterson » Sun Jan 14, 2024 3:19 pm
johnnydeep wrote: ↑Sun Jan 14, 2024 11:32 am
Ann wrote: ↑Sun Jan 14, 2024 4:42 am
johnnydeep wrote: ↑Sat Jan 13, 2024 8:58 pm
Well, 44°(diameter) is
88 times 0.5° (diameter).
Diameter, schmiameter!!! You's expect a 22°halo to be 22°, wouldn't you?
Anyway, if a a 22°halo is really 44°, then I take it that our 0.5° Moon should really be called a 0.25°Moon, right?
Ann
Well, no, since it’s the angular extent (or diameter) of the Moon that’s 0.5°. But, yes, calling it a 22°halo is confusing, but that seems to be the convention. And the APOD is still wrong to call that a diameter. The total angular extent (diameter) of the halo is 44°, but I guess you could say that the extent of the halo away from the Sun is 22° all around it.
Sure, it's perfectly correct to say that the
radius is 22°. And in general, radius is more commonly used for most things. It's generally a better metric than diameter. We usually understand "radius" as a distance from a center that doesn't have to imply a circular structure. And it makes sense when there is no matching part of the structure on the opposite side. And in terms of halo optics, almost everything is understood as an angle with respect to the light source. So radius is all that makes sense.
[quote=johnnydeep post_id=336311 time=1705231932 user_id=132061]
[quote=Ann post_id=336305 time=1705207357 user_id=129702]
[quote=johnnydeep post_id=336302 time=1705179490 user_id=132061]
Well, 44°(diameter) is [b]88 times[/b] 0.5° (diameter). 😊
[/quote]
Diameter, schmiameter!!! You's expect a 22°halo to be 22°, wouldn't you?
Anyway, if a a 22°halo is really 44°, then I take it that our 0.5° Moon should really be called a 0.25°Moon, right?
Ann
[/quote]
Well, no, since it’s the angular extent (or diameter) of the Moon that’s 0.5°. But, yes, calling it a 22°halo is confusing, but that seems to be the convention. And the APOD is still wrong to call that a diameter. The total angular extent (diameter) of the halo is 44°, but I guess you could say that the extent of the halo away from the Sun is 22° all around it.
[/quote]
Sure, it's perfectly correct to say that the [i]radius [/i]is 22°. And in general, radius is more commonly used for most things. It's generally a better metric than diameter. We usually understand "radius" as a distance from a center that doesn't have to imply a circular structure. And it makes sense when there is no matching part of the structure on the opposite side. And in terms of halo optics, almost everything is understood as an angle with respect to the light source. So radius is all that makes sense.