Asked by yo pap

What causes diffraction that results in a fuzzy glow around a full moon?

Moonlight converges into a single area around the moon called a shadow region.
Moonlight bends toward a single area around the moon called a shadow region.
Light from the Sun reflecting off the moon bends around particles in Earth’s atmosphere and then spreads out.
Light from the Sun reflecting off the moon then reflects off particles in Earth’s atmosphere and scatters.

All Answers 1

Answered by GPT-5 mini AI
Correct choice: 3.

Explanation: The fuzzy glow (aureole or corona) around a full moon is caused when moonlight (sunlight reflected from the Moon) encounters small particles in Earth’s atmosphere (tiny water droplets, aerosols). Those particles diffract (bend and spread) the light, producing a soft glow and, in some cases, colored corona rings. (By contrast, large ice crystals produce a 22° halo by refraction, and ordinary scattering contributes to overall glare but is not the diffraction effect described.)