A spectacular solar halo appeared during the Dragon Day celebration in China.

The phenomenon was seen in the city of Shenzhen, which is a special economic zone on the east bank of the Pearl River estuary in Guangdong on April 10.

Footage shows the halo surrounding the sun and reflecting rainbow colours. April 10 marks the first period of dragon hours in the dragon day of the dragon month in the Year of the Dragon in the Chinese calendar.

According to the Shenzhen Meteorological Observatory, the solar halo, also known as a circular rainbow, is an atmospheric optical phenomenon formed when sunlight passes through cirrostratus clouds and is refracted or reflected by ice crystals at an altitude of 5,000 to 6,000 meters.

The greater the content of ice crystals in the clouds, the smaller the shape will be after the sunlight is refracted.

The colours of the aperture and halo are red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet from the inside to the outside.

It is reported that the solar halo phenomenon generally happens in spring and summer. Although rare, it is not a strange phenomenon.

As to any superstitious interpretation, the weather bureau said that because it means a lot of gas is in the atmosphere, the corona is a precursor to weather changes, but it does not have any supernatural premonition.

The weather experts also warn that although the solar halo is very beautiful, it is recommended not to watch it with the naked eye for a long time to avoid burning the eyes.