Parhelia are optical phenomena, commonly referred to as “sundogs,” in which the sun is surrounded by one or two rings of light with a bright spot on each side at the same horizontal level as the sun. You see sundogs when the sun is close to the horizon on very cold mornings if the conditions are just right. The effect is caused by the way light passes through ice crystals suspended in the air. It’s explained better here.
Sundogs are not uncommon in the arctic during spring and fall, when the temperatures plunge and the sun hangs low in the sky. You can also see them “down south” (southern Canada and northern U.S.), but they are less frequent and generally fainter and less spectacular.
This morning, however, these sundogs greeted M and me at about 8:30. This is the view from our bedroom balcony. There’s a second, inner ring, but it follows the line of the crown of the tree, so you can’t see it very well.
Brrrrrrrrr!
One thought on “Sundogs!”
Crap, missed it.
But i prefer moon dogs, ’cause you can stare at them with no fear of blinding yourself.
Michel
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