071-ANT0014_4
| Object name | Sun Dog |
| Caption | Different ice crystals in the atmosphere can each reflect, refract (bend light) and diffract (break up light into its component spectrum as a prism does) the strong sunlight. This can lead to a variety of optical effects that, while not peculiar to the polar regions, are most readily observed there. The reason for this is the extreme cold and the low elevation of the sun during the daytime in Spring and Autumn. The type of effect shown here is a Sundog, or Parhelia. These“mock suns” usually appear in the 3 and 9 o'clock positions around the sun. |
| Copyright notice | © Irma Hale |