Halos can form around both the sun and the moon, but stars are not bright enough to produce a halo effect. They form when tiny ice crystals refract and reflect the light in an organized way.

Though sun halos can happen year-round, they are especially noticeable in the winter when ice-filled cirrus clouds are more common.

“What you’re seeing is basically a prism effect,” Berger said. “The sun shines through these ice crystals, and that bending of light produces the halo. Sometimes, you might even see hints ...

The halo effect is a cognitive bias that occurs when an initial positive judgment about a person unconsciously colors the perception of the individual as a whole. When forming a first impression ...