Sun dog

This is not my first attempt to capture a sun dog though I think this is one of my better ones. Saturday's blizzard died down at just the right time and it made for and incredible sunset. The wind was quite strong during the capture of this image.

|| Sundogs, or parhelion, are made commonly of plate-shaped hexagonal ice crystals in high and cold cirrus clouds or, during very cold weather, by ice crystals drifting in the air at low levels. These crystals act as prisms, bending the light rays passing through them. If the crystals are randomly oriented, a complete ring around the sun is seen. But often, as the crystals sink through the air they become vertically aligned, so sunlight is refracted horizontally — in this case, sundogs are…

This picture of a 'sun dog' was taken in the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy by NASA solar physicist David Hathaway in Huntsville, Alabama two days ago.

Ski resorts are the best places to see fine halo displays, like this one. Why so beautiful and why so sparkly? Details here.

Sundogs, also called “mock suns” or “parahelia” (Greek for “beside the sun”), appear as one or two patches of light on either or both sides of the sun. Sundogs g…

Bizarre Creatures Found in the Mariana Trench

Rare optical phenomena known as high altitude solar halos. ~Photo by Steve Gettle

When it's cold enough, some stunning Iowa winter sunrises feature a rare natural phenomenon - sun dogs! When conditions are perfect, they're a sight to see.

So where, you might wonder, would you find the crock of gold? That's what the myth says you will discover at the end of the rainbow. But sadly for treasure-hunters, this one has no end. It is a perfect circle