Expand this Topic clickable element to expand a topic
Skip to content
Optica Publishing Group

Speculations on the possible causes of the Whymper apparition

Not Accessible

Your library or personal account may give you access

Abstract

During the first ascent of the Matterhorn, a remarkable optical effect comprising three crosses surrounded by a great arch was observed by Edward Whymper, the British mountaineer. The authors review previous published explanations of the apparition. There are no photographs, only a woodcut and sketch, so the size of the apparition is not known, and it is not possible to make a definitive conclusion about what caused it. A fogbow and ice crystal arcs could have produced a circle and crosses in a direction consistent with the apparition. Some simulations are presented; one has a form approximating Whymper’s sketch. However, while this simulation used a crystal type that can occur, it required an unusual alignment that would be very rare.

© 2005 Optical Society of America

Full Article  |  PDF Article
More Like This
Ice analog halos

Zbigniew Ulanowski
Appl. Opt. 44(27) 5754-5758 (2005)

Symmetry in halo displays and symmetry in halo-making crystals

Gunther P. Können
Appl. Opt. 42(3) 318-331 (2003)

Cited By

You do not have subscription access to this journal. Cited by links are available to subscribers only. You may subscribe either as an Optica member, or as an authorized user of your institution.

Contact your librarian or system administrator
or
Login to access Optica Member Subscription

Figures (6)

You do not have subscription access to this journal. Figure files are available to subscribers only. You may subscribe either as an Optica member, or as an authorized user of your institution.

Contact your librarian or system administrator
or
Login to access Optica Member Subscription

Select as filters


Select Topics Cancel
© Copyright 2024 | Optica Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved