‘It’s the alien apocalypse’ Scots baffled by stunning optical phenomenon over Arran

Some Scots feared martians were arriving on our shores after Fraser Aitchison captured the striking picture of the sun with an eerie ring around it.

Scots were left baffled after a stunning optical phenomenon appeared over the Isle of Arran this weekend – with some fearing it was an alien apocalypse.

Fraser Aitchison captured the beautiful picture of the sun with an eerie ring around it on Friday evening.

He captured the striking snap over Mossend near Brodick and took to the Facebook page ‘Scotland from the Roadside’ in search for answers.

His post, captioned ‘I actually have no idea what this is??’, has been shared nearly 400 times.

Fraser told the Record: ” I was out walking and had stopped to talk to a friend who was fishing.

“Then I looked up and saw this image and didn’t have a clue what it was.

“Luckily I had camera with me.”
The stunning picture was captured over Mossend near Brodick (Image: Fraser Aitchison)
Fraser’s Facebook post left some Scots completely baffled.

One stunned man decided the only explanation could be martians were arriving on our shores, commenting: “It’s the alien apocalypse!”

Another agreed: “It’s the aliens coming to get you!!!!!”

Other plucked out suggestions such as the ‘Lunar Eclipse’.
But many were quick to neutralise those apocalyptic fears, by correctly pointing out it was in fact a 22° halo.

One explained: “It’s a 22° Solar Halo. Caused by hexagonal ice crystals refracting the sunlight in the atmosphere.”

While another added: “We call them sun dogs, (or moon dogs), in Canada. It’s ice crystals in the upper atmosphere reflecting the light.”

Although they are fairly common, it’s rare to have one as clear as Fraser captured – explaining the mild panic created on social media.

Thankfully, for now at least, the spacemen remain safely in outer space where they belong.