Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2024

DOI

10.1119/5.0205627

Publication Title

The Physics Teacher

Volume

62

Issue

8

Pages

A687-A688

Abstract

Question 2(a): By rotating Fig. 2 counterclockwise by 90°, explain why circumhorizontal arcs (CHAs) [Figs. 1(b) and (c)] form (under favorable conditions) only when the solar altitude exceeds 58° of arc. (In this case, the incoming ray enters a vertical face of an ice crystal and exits via the lower horizontal face.)Question 2(b): By considering the tilt of Earth’s imaginary N–S axis toward the plane of its orbit around the Sun (∼23.5°), explain why in the northern hemisphere CHAs cannot be seen above about latitude 56° N.

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© Copyright 2026 AIP Publishing LLC.

This article may be downloaded for personal use only. Any other use requires prior permission of the author and AIP Publishing. This article appeared in

Adam, J. (2024). Sky smiley face: Solutions for Fermi questions, November 2024. The Physics Teacher, 62(8), A687-A688. https://doi.org/10.1119/5.0205627

and may be found at https://doi.org/10.1119/5.0205627

Original Publication Citation

Adam, J. (2024). Sky smiley face: Solutions for Fermi questions, November 2024. The Physics Teacher, 62(8), A687-A688. https://doi.org/10.1119/5.0205627

ORCID

0000-0001-5537-2889 (Adam)

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