Sundogs and the likes

[Scott]

afternoon sky was crazy this afternoon with at least one sundog and many many (5-6) that were more rainbow shaped (see pics) can anyone shed some light on what the rainbow ones are called? I'm off to google for a look

Oh, I suppose I best give credit where it's due... these were taken by my wife

thanks for looking

[Paul M]

I love these atmospheric effects.

As it happens we had a very bright lone sundog this afternoon and a very bright segment of a circumzenithal arc.

I didn't get any pictures though.

[WaveSoarer]

Those are great photos. I love looking for these optical effects.

[Psychobilly]

The Atmospheric Optics Site http://www.atoptics.co.uk/ is usually my first port of call when trying to work out what I have seen...

I have e-mailed Les quite a few time for help and he's a really helpful.

Peter....

[JB80]

Lovely set of pics Scott.

There is also a facebook group dedicated to such things and they are fairly good on giving answers quickly too.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/32601277584/?fref=ts

[Pete Presland]

Great captures it really was an afternoon of them.

Sent from my GT-N7100 using Tapatalk

[LukeSkywatcher]

Great stuff. Ive only seen a Sun halo (the rainbow shaped one) once. 

[JamesF]

There seem to have been quite a few sightings of these recently (and the Moon dog in another post).  I can't remember hearing of so many before.

James

[LukeSkywatcher]

There is a lot of moisture in the air the last few days even though its sunny and clear. The relatively low angle of the Sun is obviously catching the water vapour at the right angle to show so many sun dogs etc. I cant remember so many reports and images of them either. 

[Spikey]

afternoon sky was crazy this afternoon with at least one sundog and many many (5-6) that were more rainbow shaped (see pics) can anyone shed some light on what the rainbow ones are called? I'm off to google for a look

Oh, I suppose I best give credit where it's due... these were taken by my wife

100_4572 copy.jpg

100_4563.jpg

100_4601.jpg

thanks for looking

I saw the same Scott, which makes sense as we're not too far from one another. I've posted a few pics up in the photography section http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/253801-cloud-iridescence/

I believe it's called cloud iridescence.

[bejay1957]

Nice images :-)

Curiously, in my cherished and read Observer's Book of Weather, the author (ex forces Met officer) stated that such optical phenomena were very rare and that he'd only seen halos and parhelia while in the Antarctic regions.  Was he a poor observer, or have atmospheric/weather conditions actually changed dramatically since the 1950s?

[Stub Mandrel]

There are historical; accounts of sundogs.

An increase in their frequency may be connected: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noctilucent_cloud#Connection_to_climate_change

[laudropb]

Very nice photos.