The Maltese Islands Weather page has shared a photo showing a spectacular atmospheric optical phenomenon known as a mock sun, or parhelion, with a halo appearing around the sun.

This usually occurs when sunlight is refracted by ice crystals in high clouds, particularly cirrostratus, that are abundant around zones of instability. This phenomenon tends to happen when the sun is low in the sky, and in fact, seems to have been captured a short while before sunset.

This sight, aside from being aesthetically beautiful, is also a sign that the weather is cooling down, which will be happy news for those looking forward to winter!

Did you spot this stunning sight at sunset?