Took this picture of a Sun dog last week whilst kayak fishing just off the North Wales coast. Took the pic with my Nokia 5140i phone as I forgot my waterproof camera!
What is a sundog?
A sun dog or sundog (scientific name parhelion) is a relatively common atmospheric optical phenomenon associated with the reflection/refraction of sunlight by the numerous small ice crystals that make up cirrus or cirrostratus clouds. Sundogs typically appear as a bright and sometimes colorful spot in the sky at a position 22 degrees to the left and/or right of the sun. They are closely related to, and sometimes appear together with, a halo. Less common associated phenomena, collectively called "ice halos," are the circumzenithal arc, upper tangental arc, parhelic circle, and lower tangental arc. There are 14 other named ice halo phenomena that could be seen given optimal conditions.
