📖 what
What is a sun dog?
opticsweather
Quick Answer
A sun dog is a bright spot of light that appears to one or both sides of the Sun, caused by ice crystals in the air.
The Full Story
Sun dogs, also called parhelia, form when sunlight passes through flat, hexagonal ice crystals drifting in high, thin clouds such as cirrus. The crystals refract the light by about 22 degrees, creating bright patches on either side of the Sun. They often show a reddish inner edge and a bluish outer edge. Sun dogs are most noticeable when the Sun is low in the sky, near sunrise or sunset. They can appear anywhere in the world but are especially common in cold regions where ice crystals fill the air.
Key Facts
1.The scientific name is parhelion (plural parhelia)
2.Sun dogs appear about 22 degrees from the Sun
3.They are made by hexagonal ice crystals
YouTube Angle
Suggested video title for this topic:
"Why the Sun sometimes seems to have two twins"