A British man was out walking when happened upon a breathtaking vision: a gigantic angel in the sky, encircled by a glowing rainbow. And he has the pictures to prove it.
It turns out what Lee Howdle saw wasn't angelic at all; in fact, it's among the U.K. Met Office's "Top 10 Spookiest Weather Conditions." He was seeing what's called a "mountain specter" -- basically, his own shadow, magnified because of his position in relation to the sun. "This effect is produced when an observer stands above the upper surface of a cloud –- on a mountain or high ground –- with the sun behind them," according to the Met Office. "When they view their shadow the light is reflected back in such a way that a spooky circular ‘glory’ appears around the point directly opposite the sun."
In spite of the logical explanation, Howdle isn't willing to admit the moment was completely void of divine intervention. "It's really amazing," he says. "And I feel very blessed to have captured such a magical moment."