Brocken Spectre

Download
The Brocken Spectre (German Brockengespenst) is an optical phenomenon that got its name near the foggy peak called Brocken in the Harz Mountains in Germany. The illusion appears when a low sun is behind someone climbing these peaks looking downwards into the mist or fog from a ridge or peak. The shadowy figure is referred to as the “spectre”, which converges towards the antisolar point (or the point opposite the sun) around which the glory rings (light halos) are also centered. This phenomenon is often viewed from airplanes, as long as the sun is behind it and there is sufficient atmospheric moisture to cause the diffraction of sunlight.
Gallery
Click on the posters below to learn more about the conditions and to download free high-res print and postcard files!
Recent Infographics

Volcanoes
How hot is lava? What is the difference between a cinder and a caldera? Examine the cross-section of a volcano, learn about different volcanic formations and how their eruptions differ, and compare the temperatures of lava to magma in this infographic by Weather Underground.