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The legendary Rome halo displays
Walter Tape1, Eva Seidenfaden, Gunther P Können
1University of Alaska, Department of Mathematics 6660, Fairbanks , Alaska 99775-6660, USA. ffwrt@uaf.edu
Applied Optics
|November 28, 2008
Summary
Historical halo displays in Rome from 1629 and 1630 are re-examined. Documentation is insufficient to confirm rare halo phenomena like the 28-degree halo, though the displays remain significant for early atmospheric optics science.
Area of Science:
- Atmospheric optics
- Historical meteorology
- Optical phenomena
Background:
- The 1629 and 1630 Rome halo displays are historically significant in early halo research.
- The 1629 display is often cited for a purported 28-degree circular halo.
Purpose of the Study:
- To critically evaluate the documentation of the 1629 and 1630 Rome halo displays.
- To ascertain the validity of reported rare halo phenomena, specifically the 28-degree halo.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of seventeenth-century correspondence and publications.
- Historical document review and interpretation.
Main Results:
- The available documentation for both halo displays is found to be weak.
- Little evidence supports the existence of a 28-degree halo or other rare halos during these displays.
Conclusions:
- The interpretations of the 1629 and 1630 Rome halo displays are not definitively supported by existing historical records.
- Despite weak documentation, these displays were pivotal in the inception of modern halo science.
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