Weather Tidbits: Sundogs

This edition of Weather Tidbits will discuss about sundogs. Sundogs are caused by the refraction of sunlight off of hexagonal-shaped ice crystals. The sunlight bends at 22 degrees as it passes through the ice crystals and reached our eyes. The result is light displayed usually on both sides of the sun at a 22 degree angle. Sundogs are typically seen in the presence of cirrus clouds since this is the primary cloud type to feature ice crystals. The light takes on a color scheme similar to a rainbow. Closer to the sun, the color is red associated with shorter wavelengths. Further from the sun, the color is blue associated with longer wavelengths. Sundogs are most common in the winter when there is more ice crystal composition in the atmosphere.