Sundogs

Sundogs, also known as parhelia, are bright, colorful spots that appear on either side of the Sun, forming a halo. They occur when sunlight refracts through ice crystals in high-altitude cirrus clouds. The ice crystals bend the sunlight at a 22-degree angle, creating the illusion of bright spots at specific positions relative to the Sun. Sundogs can display a spectrum of colors similar to a rainbow and are most visible when the Sun is low on the horizon. They are a natural optical phenomenon indicating the presence of ice crystals in the atmosphere and are often seen in cold or Arctic regions, but can occur elsewhere under the right conditions.