What causes a parhelion?
The parhelion is a member of the family of halos caused by the refraction of sunlight by ice crystals in the atmosphere. They can be seen anywhere in the world during any season (ice crystal clouds occur at high altitudes where it is always cold), but are not always obvious or bright.
What is Sundog phenomenon?
Sun dog, also called mock sun or parhelion, atmospheric optical phenomenon appearing in the sky as luminous spots 22° on each side of the Sun and at the same elevation as the Sun. Usually, the edges closest to the Sun will appear reddish. Sun dogs most commonly appear during the winter in the middle latitudes.
What does it mean when you see sundogs?
Despite their beauty, sundogs are indicative of foul weather, just like their halo cousins. Since the clouds that cause them (cirrus and cirrostratus) can signify an approaching weather system, sundogs themselves often indicate that rain will fall within the next 24 hours.
What causes a vertical rainbow?
A vertical rainbow, as photographed by Janet Pierucci. It is formed when light rays pass through high cirrus clouds. The ice crystals in the clouds act as prisms and, if conditions are right, you get this rare phenomenon. Some high clouds have also made it muggy.
What causes moondogs?
A moon dog, moondog, or mock moon, (scientific name paraselene, plural paraselenae, meaning “beside the moon”) is a relatively rare bright circular spot on a lunar halo caused by the refraction of moonlight by hexagonal-plate-shaped ice crystals in cirrus or cirrostratus clouds.
What is a sun halo called?
A Sun halo, a circle of light that creates a circle 22° wide around the Sun, is a related phenomenon. As with sundogs, hexagonal ice crystals suspended in cirrostratus clouds refract sunlight to create the halo, sometimes also called an icebow, nimbus, or gloriole.
Are sun dogs good luck?
Sun dogs are red closest to the sun and then blue as the light gets farther away. According to folklore, seeing a sun dog is good luck. Sun dogs are fairly common, so you can see these colorful bright spots many times during the year.
What do you call a rainbow in a cloud?
Iridescent clouds, known as “fire rainbows” or “rainbow clouds,” occur when sunlight diffracts off water droplets in the atmosphere. And sometimes moisture in that air suddenly condenses into tiny droplets to form a cap cloud.” This “cap”—which scientists call a “pileus”—is the source of the brilliant spectacle.
What is a moon puppy?
Moon Puppies is a sativa-dominant hybrid marijuana strain. Moon Puppies is a sativa-dominant hybrid marijuana strain.