Parhelia (Sun Dogs)
Sun dogs are a common bright circular spot on a solar halo. It is an atmospheric optical phenomenon primarily associated with the reflection or refraction of sunlight by small ice crystals making up cirrus or cirrostratus clouds. Often, two sun dogs can be seen (one on each side of the sun) simultaneously.
Jim Burchell’s Images
Terry Miles’ Images
Honor Wheeler’s Images
Noctilucent Cloud
Noctilucent clouds are phenomena seen during the summer twilight (June and July for the northern hemisphere and December and January for the southern). It is caused by sunlight striking stratus clouds at a height of around 82km.
Honor Wheeler’s Images
Simon Dawes’ Images
Martin Crow’s Images
Multiple Phenomena
If you are observant you will occasionally be rewarded with multiple phenomena in the sky as these images by members show.
Martin Crow’s Images
Honor Wheeler’s Images
Atmospheric Optic Picture of the Day
Our very own Honor Wheeler makes Optics Picture of the Day (20/03/2010) at the world renowned site for extra special atmospheric optics. “I live in Kent, in the Southeast of England and so don’t usually expect complexity in a halo display as the conditions are never quit right. Today, however, I was amazed and excited to photograph sundogs, a partial 22deg halo, an upper tangent arc, a Parry arc, circumzenithal arc and a partial supralateral arc. I’ve photographed all but the supralateral arc separately before but never all together! These photos were taken between 15.34 and 15.41UT but overall the display lasted for approx 20 minutes with the circumzenithal arc lasting the longest.”
If you have HaloSim installed, run the simulation yourself after downloading the simulation file kent.sim
Slideshow
Other Images
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