Saturday, January 26, 2013

Dogs and Halos

Okay..this is the scoop on the Sun Dogs.  Sun Dogs usually show up in cold weather and when the sun is low on the horizon.  

You can have sun dogs with halos or without.

This is without. 

Sundog (2)

A sundog is a bright area on either side of the sun.  They can look like mock suns, bright spots or little rainbows.  They are caused by hexagonal shaped ice crystals high in the frigid air catching the light.  When all the ice crystals are organized vertically and marching like soldiers through the air they make sundogs.

Sundogs one

Can you see the halo now?  Halos often called Ice Halos are caused by refraction of light off of ice crystals that are willy nilly and unorganized marchers..so the light is refracted in all directions from the sun.   Sundogs and Halo

These photos were taken out the car window yesterday January 25.  Far Guy had an appointment and Chance and I rode shotgun.

Have you seen sun dogs before?

These dogs were the highlight of our day..other than the one next to us at the gas station where Chance rolled down his window and barked his head off at some fluffy little man eating dog:) 

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20 comments:

Anonymous said...

We saw our very first sun dog recently on the way home from the dr. There was no place to pull over to get a pic but I was thoroughly amazed - I had only read about them through blogs!

Pauline Persing said...

Tom and I have seen Sun Dogs once in Dayton. It was as I was driving him to work on a dark morning. We didn't know what we were looking at until Tom talked to one of the men at work who had been stationed at an air foce base in the Dakotas. One of the most impressive sights I have ever seen. One of your rewards for living through those long cold winters.

DJan said...

I've seen sun dogs before, but they are rare in my part of the woods! Great captures! :-)

Country Gal said...

Awesome post and photos ! We occasionally see sun dogs here not many though ! Have a good day !

Primitive Stars said...

Wow, doulbe wow!!!!! Great pictures of the Sun Dogs and Halos....I have seen Sun Dogs before, but not many.....Wonderful post, Francine.

LindaG said...

We have seen a couple this year. Your photos are wonderful!

GramMary said...

That photo of the blowing snow froze me to my chair! BRRRR. Good explanation of the sun dogs though. Happy to hear Chance is still defending his place on the planet. Give him a hug for me.

Gail said...

Great photos. Something I look forward to seeing since there are so few I see.

Muffy's Marks said...

Must be a Minnesota thing!! Never heard of them before. Interesting. Chance, good dog!! Keeping those ankle biters at bay!!!

Nancy said...

You captured them perfectly. Even the moon can have a halo on a cold, cold night.

Beth said...

Great shot!! I have seen sun dogs before. Spectacular!

West Side of Straight said...

Great pictures!!!!!

Jacqi Stevens said...

So, does that mean you can have moon dogs, too? I've seen those halos around the moon from time to time. Never read that explanation before. Interesting!

Sam I Am...... said...

Yes, we used to have them in Iowa in the Winter and I loved looking at them as I stood there shivering in the cold! LOL! It seemed they only showed up when it was VERY cold.
Great pictures you got!

Terry and Linda said...

WOW! STUNNING!!! Although I know it means very, very, very cold!

Linda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com
http://deltacountyhistoricalsociety.wordpress.com

Lynda said...

From your description, I thought it might be like frozen fog? But researching shows that it is what you said - - ice crystals drifting in the air. That is COLD weather!

MTWaggin said...

We get them here too and funny thing is I saw one as well just this past week. Weather must be just right....

RURAL said...

I've never seen them before, it's a good thing you posted photos.

If I saw something like that, I would be clicking away, and blogging that I saw aliens...lol.

Jen

That Janie Girl said...

I've not noticed them…until now! Now, I'll be looking for them.

Go get 'em, Chance!

Anonymous said...

Wonderful shots!