Sun Dog (Parhelion): What Is It & The Definition

Weather phenomena happen all over the world, but not all of them can happen in all countries. This is the case of sun dogs, so if the situation meets some criteria, you could see one of them. However, most people get confused when they see a sun dog before they’ve never heard of them. The same happens with many weather phenomena no one knows about.

Dive into this page if you want to know what sun dogs are and some things about them. Learning about these phenomena helps you understand more things about how the world works. Apart from that, you can then analyze and notice when they happen more easily.

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Sun dogs are among the many types of halos, and they are also a refraction of light by ice crystals. When they happen, you can see two bright spots or “mini suns” right or next to the sun. They tend to be on the same latitude and not that far from each other.

While the most popular way of seeing sun dogs is seeing two of them, it’s more common to see one to the right or left. As we mentioned before, this phenomenon can happen everywhere in the world, but it’s most likely to happen in places with cold weather and when the sun sets.

History of Sun Dog 

The history of sun dogs goes through many countries, and the first one to happen takes us back to the Aristotle era. His notes show that he got to see sun dogs, and he called them to muck suns.

Sun dogs are known by researchers and experts as Parhelia, which means “with the sun” or “behind the sun”. According to Greek mythology, they are called sun dogs because Zeus used to walk around the world with his dogs, and they shined in a way everyone could see them.

How Are Sun Dogs Formed? 

The formation of sun dogs is not that complex since they are an optical phenomenon. Places with cold environments produce precipitation in the form of ice crystals, and those ice crystals stay in cirrus clouds and the atmosphere instead of water droplets. When the sun sets in a specific position, the ice crystals in the atmosphere refract sun rays.

Light refraction makes those light spots appear next to the sun, but they are not other stars or anything related to that.

While this phenomenon could happen anywhere in the world, it’s difficult to see it in hot weather since it depends on ice crystals.

Characteristics of the Sun Dog 

One of the main characteristics of sun dogs is that they are either blue or red. If the light spot is close to the sun, it’s red, and it gets bluer the further it gets from it.

These crystals can cause many other weather phenomena, such as other halos and circumzenithal arcs. Therefore, some people tend to confuse them all. Sun dogs on other planets are caused by different reasons, and if people lived there, they could predict them.

When Is the Best Time to See a Sun Dog? 

Sunsets are the best time to see a sun dog happen since they are not that noticeable under other circumstances. Since they are not that visible at times, you may have missed them one day without knowing it. People tend to see the sun when it sets, so it’s hard to miss it.

Sun dogs are also common in winter due to the snow precipitations that happen at that time of the year. Considering that, we recommend you pay more attention to sunsets in December. The closer the sun is to the ground, the easier it is to see muck suns.

Difference Between Halos and Sun Dogs 

As we mentioned before, people often confuse sun dogs and halos, but sun dogs are merely one type of halo. The difference between them goes around more technical reasons and is related to the position and orientation of the ice crystals that refract sunlight.

When those ice crystals are hexagonal, a sun dog appears; if they represent random zones over the atmosphere, you see a halo.

Facts About Sun Dog (Parhelion) 

Here are some facts that can help you understand more things about the Parhelion:

• This phenomenon can also happen to the moon
• It’s more common to see sun dogs thanks to cirrus clouds
• Ice crystals need to be hexagonal to create sun dogs
• Sun dogs aren’t too high or low, and you can mostly see them in middle latitudes
• Philosophers from Rome and Jerusalem have also talked about sun dogs and offered different interpretations to it

Conclusion 

Although sun dogs aren’t as rare as other weather phenomena, getting to see them is something you may not experience in a while if you live in a city with hot weather. Fortunately, you can now predict when it may appear and how to notice it.

Learning more things about weather conditions and phenomena is an interesting hobby that can help you understand how the world works. Share this with your family and friends to share this hobby with them! You could even catch to see sun dogs or moon dogs with your friends or loved ones.

FAQs About the Sun Dog (Parhelion) 

It’s normal to have some questions about sun dogs and different weather conditions. Read on for some of the most frequently asked questions about this matter, and see if one of your concerns is here.

What Is the Cause of Parhelion?

Parhelion occurs when hexagonal ice crystals refract sunlight when the sun starts setting.

Are Sun Dogs Rare?

Although many people don’t know it, sun dogs are not that uncommon or rare. They happen a lot, but sometimes, they are hard to notice.

What Do Sun Dogs Predict?

If you see sun dogs, expect rain or snow to fall from the sky soon. The reason for that is the snow precipitation that makes this phenomenon happen.

What Is a Sun Dog Rainbow?

People often call sun dogs ‘sun dog rainbows’ because they can be red and blue. However, they are no different from regular sun dogs.