Brocken Spectre

Q. Last friday I took my daughter up onto Kinder Scout and when we were on the plateau such as the conditions were sunny but misty we saw what looked like a rainbow shape in the sky but had no colours, just white in colour but a perfect arc shape.

A fellow walker who also saw it told us what the name of it was but it was hard to remember.

Does anybody out there know?

Ray Foster, Manchester

A. Sounds like it might be the Brocken Spectre. Did it look a bit like this?

The Brocken Spectre appears when the sun is low and behind a walker who is looking down into mist from a ridge or peak. The "spectre" is the shadowy figure (you) in the centre.

The Brocken Spectre or "Spectre of the Brocken" is so named because of sightings on the Brocken, the highest peak of Germany's Harz Mountains.

Thanks to Sarah Wingrove who took this shot on Beinn Heasgarnich in The Mamlorn Hills, Perth and Kinross, Scotland.?

Mike (Editor)

A. On the photos of the Brocken Spectre there is a visible 'rainbow' ring around the head of one shadow. This is known as a Halo.

One interesting feature about it is that it only appears around your own shadow - you cannot see it around the head of a companion although they can see their own halo.

I saw it once, coming off Helvellyn after climbing in the dark to watch the sunrise. All very memorable and if I ever digitise the slides I will send you a copy for the photo gallery.

All the best

Brian Tyler

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