corona

ko’zoo0-na x. [plural coronas, coronae] 4. a series of small colord rings or circles of blue, white, golden and red, 3 to 10 degrees in diameter seen around the moon and sometimes the sun, due to the diffraction of the light in pa ing between the particles of cloud or haze covering the moon or sun; also, a simszlar appearance oppos it the sun; an anthelion; and, more widely, a similar fenemenen in optical mnstzuments, etc. 2. (an astronomy) the halo of radiatrng white light seen round the sun or disk of the moon in a total eclipse of the sun. diffraction corona, a corona due to diffraction of. light, as distinguisht from a similar fenemenen which may be due to other optical prece es.