Surf Dog
August 14, 2005
Provided and copyright by: Jens Olbrich
Summary authors & editors: Jens Olbrich; Jim Foster
The photo above showing a snappy sundog or parhelia was taken from the Isle of Fano, Denmark in January of this year. The Sun was well above the horizon but partially hidden by low clouds when I happened to notice a bright patch of light to its right. Plate-shaped, hexagonal ice crystals oriented horizontally in thin cirrus clouds, well above the lower cloud deck, produced this eye-catching sundog. It was even bright enough to be seen as a reflection in the wet sand. Note also the coloration to the upper right of the Sun, which appears to be iridescence. This phenomenon results from diffraction of sunlight in water droplets of mid level clouds.
Photo details: Canon Eos 300D Camera, 18-55 mm Kit lens, ISO setting of 100.
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