WHAT ARE SUNDOGS?
Lionel Richard of Fredericton wanted to learn something about sundogs. Sundogs are bright spots on either or both sides of the sun. They are also called mock suns, but the technical name for them is parhelia. They also occur (less brightly) around the moon. Of course, they are called moon dogs. Sundogs are images of the sun formed as a result of light bending through tiny, floating ice crystals in the air or high clouds. The ice crystals are shaped like plates falling in such a way that the flat surfaces face parallel to the Earth. Sunlight enters at one side, bends and bends again as it exits. The light refraction creates an image of the sun 22 to the left and/or right of the sun. Sundogs are not rare – perhaps visible 10 times a year. The most brilliant ones occur on a cold sunny morning or evening, when the sun is near the horizon and the air is loaded with ice crystals. Spotting sundogs and other sky phenomena like haloes and rings often means rain or snow will arrive within 18 to
Sundogs are bright spots on either, or both sides, of the sun. The technical name for them is parhelia. They also occur less brightly around the moon but ; those are called moon dogs. Sundogs are images of the sun formed as a result of light bending through tiny, floating ice crystals in the air or high clouds. The ice crystals are shaped like plates falling in such a way that the flat surfaces face parallel to the Earth. Sunlight enters at one side and bends. It bends again as it exits. The light refractions create an image of the sun 22 to the left and/or right of the sun. Sundogs are not rare – perhaps visible 10 times a year. The most brilliant ones occur on a cold sunny morning or evening, when the sun is near the horizon and the air has a lot of ice crystals. Spotting sundogs and other sky phenomena like haloes and rings sometimes means rain or snow will arrive within 18 to 36 hours.
