I don't usually post about interesting tidbits, but hey, why not? Each day, I check out the National Geographic photo of the day, and today it featured something I'd never heard of--the Sundog light phenomenon. Apparently, a sun dog is a "common bright circular spot on a solar halo. It is an atmospheric optical phenomenon primarily associated with the reflection or refraction of sunlight by small ice crystals making up cirrus or cirrostratus clouds".
"Sundogs are fairly common occurrences in the Arctic and Antarctic. They form when the sun is near the horizon and ice crystals high in the sky line up in a way that bends the solar rays like a prism". Pretty cool eh? i'd love to get a shot of one someday.
While I'm at it, another tidbit--I can't say this quote wasn't taken out of context, but either way, it's pretty funny:
"One of the great things about books is sometimes there are some fantastic pictures."
--George W. Bush, January 3, 2000, Quoted in U.S. News & World Report.
4 comments:
i like dogs, so why not sundogs too? i'm just glad they're called that. nice find, aaron.
Wow. Very neat. I'd love to see one.
clearly you haven't looked at every single photo I have ever posted on line. Some friend you are.
http://picasaweb.google.com/gsc123/PostCDTRoadtrip/photo#5146286109630580802
(plus the next one too)
i should have known. if anyone knew what a sun dog was it would be gsc...
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