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Skygazing Seattleites were thrilled to witness a stunning optical phenomenon on Wednesday.

City dwellers snapped shots of the eye-popping light display, known as sun halos, which showed up as a white or iridescent ring in the sky.

(MORE: Weather Explainers: What Are Sun Halos?)

According to scientists, this unique effect is created when sunlight cuts through ice crystals in the Earth's atmosphere. It commonly materializes when a thin layer of cirrus clouds are present.

After going through the ice prisms, the light creates a 22 degree halo.

The natural occurrence was visible to many people in the Northwest who excitedly posted photos to social media.

While sun halos are a beautiful sight, they are often a sign of approaching storms or low pressure fronts due to the presence of high ice clouds.

MORE ON WEATHER.COM: Strawberry Moon Photos