paraselenae
Definition
- Noun (plural form; singular: ):
- A bright spot or mock moon: In astronomy, "paraselenae" are luminous patches or halos that appear on a lunar halo, resembling a second moon. They are optical phenomena caused by the refraction of moonlight through ice crystals in the atmosphere.
Usage Examples
- (Bright spots appearing on both sides of the moon.)
- (These lunar phenomena are more common in icy conditions.)
Advanced Usage
- "Lunar mock moon": A synonym for in popular science writing.
- The term "paraselene" is derived from Greek, meaning "beside the moon."
- Scientific context: In meteorology, are classified as a type of ice crystal halo, analogous to (sun dogs) but occurring with moonlight.
- The formation of paraselenae requires a thin layer of cirrus clouds containing hexagonal ice crystals.
Variants and Related Words
- Paraselene (n, singular): a single bright spot on a lunar halo.
- A single paraselene was visible to the left of the moon.
- Paraselenic (adj): relating to or resembling a paraselene.
- The paraselenic glow faded as clouds moved in.
- Lunar halo (n): a ring of light around the moon, often associated with paraselenae.
- The lunar halo was accompanied by two distinct paraselenae.
Synonyms
- Mock moon: a common term for a paraselene.
- Moon dog: a colloquial name, analogous to "sun dog" for parhelia.
- Lunar parhelion: a technical synonym in atmospheric optics.
Related Idioms