If you appeared into the sky Tuesday morning, likelihood is you noticed a vivid, probably colourful show that may solely occur when the circumstances are good.
It’s referred to as a sundog.
But what precisely is it and the way is it shaped? Here’s an explainer:
What is a sundog?
According to the National Weather Service“sundogs are coloured spots of sunshine that develop because of the refraction of sunshine by means of ice crystals.”
The refractions are positioned about 22 levels to the correct, left, or on each side of the solar and might seem rainbow-like, with crimson seen closest to the solar and blue to the skin. Some, nevertheless, could merely seem white.
“Sundogs are also referred to as mock suns or parhelia, which suggests ‘with the solar,'” the NWS experiences.
The phenomenon is much like solar halos or pillars, that are additionally thought of “atmospheric optical results.”
How do sundogs type?
“In the ambiance, underneath sure circumstances, water drops and ice crystals can act as a prism, permitting us to see the varied colours that make up seen gentle,” the NWS experiences.
According to the Almanacsundogs seem when daylight passes by means of a skinny veil of ice crystal clouds, which acts as a prism and refracts the sunshine.
Not to be confused with a rainbow, which varieties when “drops of rain act as prisms, breaking daylight into a mess of colours.”
What else to know
According to Space.comsure circumstances make sundogs extra probably.
They most frequently seem close to dawn or sundown, because the solar is nearer to the horizon.
“When the solar is excessive within the sky daylight cannot go by means of ice crystals as simply,” the publication experiences.
Winter can also be extra more likely to see sundogs, since ice crystals are wanted.
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