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Sundogs

2007.12.19

Sundogs typically, but not exclusively, appear when the sun is low, e.g. at sunrise and sunset, and the atmosphere is filled with ice crystals forming cirrus clouds, but diamond dust and ice fog can also produce them. They are often bright white patches of light looking

Sometimes they exhibit a spectrum of colors, ranging from red closest to the sun to a pale bluish tail stretching away from the sun. White sundogs are caused from light reflected off of atmospheric ice crystals, while colored sundogs are caused from light refracted off of them.

The reflection of the rising sun on the smoke

The ice crystals causing atmospheric phenomenon are shaped as hexagonal prisms. Some of these crystals are elongated, some flat; the latter causing crisp and bright sundogs if evenly oriented with their hexagonal ends aligned horizontally, while the former produces other atmospheric phenomenon, such as parhelic circle, 22° halo, circumzenithal arc, upper tangent arc, and lower tangent arc. A mixture of various crystals with different alignments produces several of these phenomenon at the same time.

On my walk to work at 8 a clock in the morning this is often the skies display when the sun rises with extremely cold temperature. Taking pictures is not easy the camera freezes up and shuts down and my hands go numb with the cold. Still I can’t resist the beauty presented to me and have to shot.

34 Comments

Very beautiful set...
But the last one is...merveilleuse!!!

Madoc · 2007-12-19: 20:33

amazing set!! i love the last one

Michka43 · 2007-12-19: 22:32

Agree with Madoc ... fantastic set, but #4 is awesome! I learned something new today ... never before heard of 'sundogs'! Thanks for teaching me something new!

MHJphotos · 2007-12-19: 22:51

very interesting set, I too never befor heard of "sundogs".Thanks for this post.

mimax2 · 2007-12-20: 00:17

fantastic light

peregol · 2007-12-20: 01:03

Really nice

ahmadkhani · 2007-12-20: 10:10

WOW beautiful!! Love the name sundogs!!! What a beautiful walk you had!! Thanks for sharing it with us.

SheriJ · 2007-12-20: 10:16

Stunning pics !! never seen it, beautiful.

eljapa · 2007-12-20: 10:28

this is amazing!

we had never seen anything like this :)

and thanks for taking these is such extreme conditions!

flipado · 2007-12-20: 12:08

Very nice and...interesting series . I've something today !

Cartman971 · 2007-12-20: 13:59

These are beautiful. I've never seen them before. Thanks!

vollenda · 2007-12-20: 14:11

Very beautiful shots and colors that you captured!
thanks for sharing !

PARVAZ · 2007-12-20: 14:19

INTERESTING SHOTS!!!!beautiful colors!!!

vterezia · 2007-12-20: 14:41

¡has sabido atrapar el sol entre vapores! ¡Muy buenas!

Jaramiel · 2007-12-20: 15:44

Nice set!

Maxine · 2007-12-20: 17:20

educational and very cool.

brodmac · 2007-12-20: 19:53

Great set!!! Thanks for the additional information on how they are formed. I also understand about the camera freezing up and the cold hands. But I can't resist sometimes.

bauche · 2007-12-20: 20:01

these are awesome ...Merry Christmas :)!!!

Lindyart · 2007-12-20: 21:16

:-)

ronin53 · 2007-12-21: 00:18

splendid and interesting set!

Fasterbit · 2007-12-21: 13:14

Interesting - never heard of sundogs. Great photos!

kangshung · 2007-12-21: 17:23

gorgeous. thanks for facing the cold to get these shots.

JuliaGotz · 2007-12-21: 19:29

This looked so familiar that I had to go to your profile to remind myself where you are from...sure enough you're also from the Canadian Prairies. I'm in Alberta and also get to see sundogs once in a while. I love the last photo!

Genevieve · 2007-12-21: 23:20