# Sundogs, Parry arc, circumzenithal arc... **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 31, 2012, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sundogs-parry-arc-circumzenithal-arc/639400 "2012-10-31T06:18:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2012, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sundogs-parry-arc-circumzenithal-arc/639400/1 "2012-10-31T06:18:00Z")
…and more, clearly visible today right from our office parking lot. It was one of the most amazing things I’ve ever seen in my life. Also, I never wished so badly to have a better camera, but my phone did better than I expected: [[Album] Perihelia ![](https://live.staticflickr.com/8329/8140761465_764b4e089e_b.jpg "Perihelia") ](https://www.flickr.com/photos/40510731@N06/sets/72157631893257881/) ---
**Author:** ![CairoCarol](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cairocarol/32/3825_2.png) [@CairoCarol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CairoCarol)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2012, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sundogs-parry-arc-circumzenithal-arc/639400/2 "2012-10-31T06:20:36Z")
Absolutely stunning! ---
**Author:** ![Seanette](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/seanette/32/9139_2.png) [@Seanette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seanette)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2012, 6:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sundogs-parry-arc-circumzenithal-arc/639400/3 "2012-10-31T06:23:10Z")
VERY nice pictures. ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2012, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sundogs-parry-arc-circumzenithal-arc/639400/4 "2012-10-31T06:27:29Z")
Amazing. Did you think you were entering the nexus of the universe? ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2012, 6:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sundogs-parry-arc-circumzenithal-arc/639400/5 "2012-10-31T06:31:58Z")
> [@cmyk](#): > > Did you think you were entering the nexus of the universe? It was more like a giant eye staring down from the sky… ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2012, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sundogs-parry-arc-circumzenithal-arc/639400/6 "2012-10-31T06:50:20Z")
> [@scr4](#): > > It was more like a giant eye staring down from the sky… I wonder how many locals were stymied it wasn’t the Rapture, after all. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2012, 11:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sundogs-parry-arc-circumzenithal-arc/639400/7 "2012-10-31T11:39:27Z")
Gorgeous. I’ve bneen fascinated by Sundogs, which are actually one of the most common meteorologic optical phenomena. They occur about 10 times as often as rainbows, but people aren’t so familar with them or aware of them, so they miss them. Often they’re pretty unimpressive – much less cionspicuous than in your picture. But sometimes they can be even more spectacular, with bands of vibrant color. Seeing all the arcs you see is less common, although I have sen them. You need a lot of ice crystals in the air, all around. One time I saw a display like this when I was at a ski resort, with the snow blower between me and the sun. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2012, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sundogs-parry-arc-circumzenithal-arc/639400/8 "2012-10-31T12:47:58Z")
Your phone camera did great! Awesome pics! ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2012, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sundogs-parry-arc-circumzenithal-arc/639400/9 "2012-10-31T14:20:45Z")
Are you posting from the future? ---
**Author:** ![Taomist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/53a042/32.png) [@Taomist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taomist)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2012, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sundogs-parry-arc-circumzenithal-arc/639400/10 "2012-10-31T17:25:27Z")
Wow, amazing! I don’t think I’ve ever seen, or noticed, those before. Will have to pay more attention. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Whammo72](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/77aa72/32.png) [@Whammo72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whammo72)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2012, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sundogs-parry-arc-circumzenithal-arc/639400/11 "2012-10-31T18:02:32Z")
wow, trifecta! ---
**Author:** ![Angua](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8baadc/32.png) [@Angua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Angua)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2012, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sundogs-parry-arc-circumzenithal-arc/639400/12 "2012-10-31T20:32:48Z")
Saw it too. Was absolutely stunning. Had no idea it was going on till a friend of mine called me and was all “Angua, go outside, _now_. Now look up at the sky. Isn’t it awesome? What is it? Figured I’d ask you, since you’re probably in the right field to know.” I was happy for the rest of the day. :mrgreen: ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2012, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sundogs-parry-arc-circumzenithal-arc/639400/13 "2012-10-31T20:49:59Z")
> [@scr4](#): > > …and more, clearly visible today right from our office parking lot. It was one of the most amazing things I’ve ever seen in my life. Also, I never wished so badly to have a better camera, but my phone did better than I expected: > > [Perihelia | Flickr](http://www.flickr.com/photos/40510731@N06/sets/72157631893257881/) That’s amazing. You want to send those pics to NASA’s Astronomy Picture of the Day. ---
**Author:** ![Astroboy14](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/df705f/32.png) [@Astroboy14](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Astroboy14)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2012, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sundogs-parry-arc-circumzenithal-arc/639400/14 "2012-10-31T20:52:36Z")
[Sundogs are evil. We must shoot them down!!](http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=sundog%20hit%20by%20missle&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&ved=0CCUQtwIwAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DSsDEfu8s1Lw&ei=WI-RUNLNIeip0AGIz4CoDQ&usg=AFQjCNHer9fuALIiW0gSfDIgjpf7wtIyAg) ---
**Author:** ![Astroboy14](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/df705f/32.png) [@Astroboy14](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Astroboy14)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2012, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sundogs-parry-arc-circumzenithal-arc/639400/15 "2012-10-31T22:59:32Z")
Nope. Seems to work ok. ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sundogs-parry-arc-circumzenithal-arc/639400/16 "2012-11-01T00:08:03Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > That’s amazing. You want to send those pics to NASA’s Astronomy Picture of the Day. Thanks, but a colleague of mine had a better camera and took a better picture, which I just learned is already on [spaceweather.com](http://www.spaceweather.com/archive.php?view=1&day=31&month=10&year=2012). ---
**Author:** ![Yeticus\_Rex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a698b9/32.png) [@Yeticus\_Rex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yeticus_Rex)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sundogs-parry-arc-circumzenithal-arc/639400/17 "2012-11-01T00:16:01Z")
Sky and Telescope might pay you for that pic and put in their magazine…give it a shot! ---
**Author:** ![Morgyn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morgyn/32/3041_2.png) [@Morgyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgyn)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sundogs-parry-arc-circumzenithal-arc/639400/18 "2012-11-01T02:08:50Z")
Those are _amazing_. Both yours and your colleague’s. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 8:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sundogs-parry-arc-circumzenithal-arc/639400/19 "2012-11-01T08:35:45Z")
> [@scr4](#): > > Thanks, but a colleague of mine had a better camera and took a better picture, which I just learned is already on [spaceweather.com](http://www.spaceweather.com/archive.php?view=1&day=31&month=10&year=2012). Actually, I think yours are better because the sun is obscured by the tree which allows the effects to be more visible. In his, because the camera has to cope with the direct glare of the sun, they look washed-out in comparison to yours.