# sundogs **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 20, 2001, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sundogs/50984 "2001-01-20T04:28:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mdf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/dbc845/32.png) [@mdf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mdf)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2001, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sundogs/50984/1 "2001-01-20T04:28:37Z")
Had a nice pair of said critters on display this morning, as I was taking my wife to work. This led to a web search because I couldn’t explain the phenomenon to my satisfaction, and thence to this: What are the mythological names of the sundogs? [sub]this ain’t no quiz, I really don’t know…[/sub] -mdf ---
**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:** [January 20, 2001, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sundogs/50984/2 "2001-01-20T04:32:52Z")
Excellent question. I don’t know of any mythological names for them, although I’ve long suspected that they are the Dioscouri, the sons of Zeus (Castor and Pollux). I have not found anything that supports this, however. If you’re looking for info on sundogs, look up Greenler’s book on rainbows and other sky phenomena, or R.A.R. Tricker’s :“Introduction to Meteorological Optics”, or M. Minnaert’s “The Nature of Light and Color in the Open Air”, or the references in Jearl Walker’s “Flying Circus of Physics”. ---
**Author:** ![bare](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bare/32/471_2.png) [@bare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bare)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2001, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sundogs/50984/3 "2001-01-20T04:39:59Z")
:::pondering sadly::: Guess you gotta have sun to see sundogs. ---
**Author:** ![bare](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bare/32/471_2.png) [@bare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bare)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2001, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sundogs/50984/4 "2001-01-20T04:42:37Z")
Where did that smiley come from. Supposed to read pondering. Apparantly this board doesn’t want me to ponder sadly. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2001, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sundogs/50984/5 "2001-01-20T04:52:09Z")
**Cal** , does it get cold enough in Greece for there to be sundogs, and hence have them get associated with the Twins? I don’t remember seeing them when the temp’s much above -20 C, and usually much colder. In fact, I usually take them to mean colder weather’s on the way. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2001, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sundogs/50984/6 "2001-01-20T05:11:30Z")
I always thought that sundogs and moondogs only required that there be suspended ice crystals _somewhere_ in the atmosphere, so the low-level air temperature could be warmer then -20. But I could be wrong. What _I_ want to know is, what was the weird “beam” I saw extending upward from the Place of Sunset one evening a few weeks ago in central Ontario? The sun had just set in a narrow gap of clear sky beneath lowering grey clouds on the western horizon. The beam was sunset red against the clouds. I’m not saying I’m superstitions or anything, but it was _very_ usettling to see this beautiful but unexpected and inhumanly perfect thing in the sky… ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2001, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sundogs/50984/7 "2001-01-20T05:20:44Z")
I would guess it’s another effect of suspended ice-crystals, reflecting upwards. On cold prairie nights after a major blizzard, when the wind is down, there are similar beams going up from the farm lights. I’ve always assumed it’s ice crystals that haven’t fallen down yet. Late at night, early January, driving along in -30, with just the farm lights, the beams and the snow - it’s just beautiful!! ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2001, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sundogs/50984/8 "2001-01-20T05:23:41Z")
From this site, [Light and Optics](http://ww2010.atmos.uiuc.edu/(Gh)/guides/mtr/opt/home.rxml) you can go down to this page on [sundogs](http://ww2010.atmos.uiuc.edu/(Gh)/guides/mtr/opt/ice/sd.rxml). This site also mentions them regarding [Atmospheric Halos](http://dspace.dial.pipex.com/lc/halo/halosim.htm). ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2001, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sundogs/50984/9 "2001-01-20T05:27:34Z")
thanks, **tom** - great site. it also deals with [Sun pillars](http://ww2010.atmos.uiuc.edu/(Gh)/guides/mtr/opt/ice/sp.rxml) - says they’re also caused by ice-crystals. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2001, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sundogs/50984/10 "2001-01-20T20:26:26Z")
"Sun Pillars! That’s it! Of course, I can’t do a web search for it if I don’t know what it’s called… I guessed it might be due to falling ice crystaks from the clouds, but I wasn’t sure. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![mdf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/dbc845/32.png) [@mdf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mdf)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2001, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sundogs/50984/11 "2001-01-20T21:39:14Z")
Thanks to all for the pointers on _how_ sundogs occur, however the question in the OP was **What are their mythological names?** _Somebody_ knows this, I’m sure. -mdf ---
**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:** [January 21, 2001, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sundogs/50984/12 "2001-01-21T04:19:42Z")
Sundogs can occu in summer. They’re probably the most common optical phenomenon in the sky, e ven more common than rainbows – I know, because ever since learned about them I’ve been looking for them, and I see a LOT of them. More people would see them if they knew about them, and where to look for them. So, yes, sundogs CAN be seen in Greece, and anywhere else that you can get ice crystals in the atmosphere (they don’t have to be near the ground). As for mythological names, as I’ve said, I suspect that they MIGHT be the Dioscouri, but I haven’t been able to corroborate this – and I’ve LOOKED for such evidence for a long time. As a corrolary, I haven’t found ANY mythological names for the effect. If you find any, 'd love to know about hem. ---
**Author:** ![Myron\_Van\_Horowitzski](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de053/32.png) [@Myron\_Van\_Horowitzski](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myron_Van_Horowitzski)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2001, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sundogs/50984/13 "2001-01-22T15:46:09Z")
Sunspace, I saw it too, driving through Northern Wisconsin. It was December 23. After the sun went down, other bright lights were doing it too. Every time the light at the airport went around, it looked like red sparks shot straight up in the air. It was awesome.