Sun Dog

sky phenomena · optics · weather

Bright spot beside the Sun. A sun dog is a glowing spot that appears to the left or right of the Sun in the sky. It looks like another sun, but it is not real, which is why scientists call it a parhelion, meaning false sun.

Ice crystals bend light. Sun dogs happen when sunlight passes through tiny ice crystals floating high up in clouds. The crystals act like tiny prisms and bend the light, creating the bright spot you see beside the real Sun.

22 degree halo circle. Sun dogs usually appear about 22 degrees away from the Sun, which means they sit on an invisible circle drawn around the Sun in the sky. Often two sun dogs appear at the same time, one on each side of the Sun.

Happens everywhere on Earth. You can see sun dogs in almost any part of the world when the right conditions line up, but they are most common in places with cold, icy clouds. Explorers and sailors throughout history have noticed these mysterious bright spots.

Safe to watch sometimes. You should never look directly at the Sun, but you can often see sun dogs without looking straight at the Sun, since they appear off to the side.