![]() How Did the Name “Sun Dogs” Come About?Īccording to Greek mythology, Zeus walked his dogs across the sky and those “false suns” in the sky on either side of the sun’s disk were his two dogs. Such occurrences have been reported in many countries throughout history. Nowadays, seeing a rainbow or a sundog is a sign of good luck (or, perhaps just being at the right place at the right time?). A rain of animals is a rare meteorological phenomenon in which flightless animals fall from the sky. Good luck? In medieval times, the three bright lights were sometimes interpreted as the sign of the trinity, a sign of great fortune. Next time you see a sundog, look out for foul or wet weather! Probably the biggest difference between the two is that a rainbow usually signals an end to the rain, while a sundog often means that rain is on the way-often within the next 24 hours. (Sun halos can appear anywhere, even when the Sun is high in the sky.) What Does It Mean When You See a Sundog? Sun Dogs, Sun Ghost, Belt of Venus,Noctilucent Clouds,Aurora Borealis,Mammatus Clouds, Red Rain, Moon Bows, Colored Moons, St Elmps Fire, Fire Winds. Look for sundogs when the Sun is rising or setting, so near the horizon. These whirlwinds, essentially smaller versions of tornadoes, form when there is intense heat at the ground, which causes the air above it to rise, and winds that can cause the rising air to spin. If the ice crystals are falling flat, then you see a bright point of light on either side of the Sun. You see sundogs when you look toward the Sun.You see rainbows when you look away from the Sun.There are some differences between rainbows and sundogs, however. Similar to sundogs, sunlight is refracts through ice crystals these hexagonal ice crystals are suspended in cirrostratus clouds. You may have heard of a related phenomenon called a “sun halo.” In this case, it’s an entire circle of light 22° wide around the Sun. Like rainbows, sundogs are created when sunlight is filtered by moisture in the sky. The colors usually go from red on the side nearest to the Sun, shifting through orange out to blue on the outside of the sundog. Often they appear white but sometimes they are quite colorful, looking like patches of rainbow. Sundogs often form in pairs on either side of the Sun. Sundogs appear when sunlight passes through a thin veil of ice crystal clouds (usually cirrus or cirrostratus) and the ice acts a prism, refracting the light.Ī sundog is seen about 22° to the left or right of the Sun. Rainbows form when drops of rain act as prisms, breaking sunlight into a multitude of colors. The most common name, however, for these bright lights that faithfully follow the Sun is “sundogs.”īoth rainbows and sundogs are formed by moisture filtering the sunlight. Sundogs are also known as “mock suns” or “parhelia,” which means “with the Sun”. Sometimes they look like bright rainbows or colorful spots on either side of the Sun. Other times they are brighter and actually look like two extra Suns. A sundog is similar to a rainbow, and more common than rainbows.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |