Bishop's Ring

[2] This gigantic explosion threw a vast quantity of dust and volatile gases into the atmosphere.

Sulfate aerosols remained in the stratosphere, causing colorful sunrises and sunsets for several years.

[3] Most observations agree that the inner rim of the ring is whitish or bluish white and that its outside is reddish, brownish or purple.

Sulfur compound aerosols derived from volcanic eruptions have been found to be the source for the Bishop's Ring effect.

[5][6] A Bishop's Ring was observed for a long period of time in Japan after the eruption of Mt.

Bishop's Ring around the sun due to volcanic ash of the Eyjafjallajökull volcano on Iceland. Photographed from Leiden, the Netherlands, on 18 May 2010.