Stunning Sightings in Israeli Skies: A Halo with a Rainbow Formed Around the Sun – The Explanation for the Phenomenon
The phenomenon known as sun dogs occurs when high-altitude cirrus clouds are present during heat haze conditions. These clouds are made of ice particles, and their interaction with sunlight creates a rainbow-like arc. Sun dogs are most clearly visible when the sun is low in the sky.
By Ilanit Adler, Guy Varon, Or Ravid | N12
A halo and a rainbow within a cloud were observed in Israeli skies on Saturday around the sun. The phenomenon is called sun dogs, and it is created when high-altitude cirrus clouds are present, as was the case today.
These clouds arrive from the south in the upper layers of the atmosphere. Because they form at very high altitudes, they are composed of ice particles. The interaction between sunlight and the tiny ice particles produces the rainbow.
Sun dogs are clearly visible when the sun is low in the sky. The sun's rays are refracted, and a halo is formed.
