Frosts in Mongolia cause sun dogs optical phenomenon

AKIPRESS.COM - An optical phenomenon known as sun dogs or mock suns but formally called a parhelion is observed in Mongolia now.
This is an atmospheric optical phenomenon that consists of a bright spot to one or both sides of the Sun. The sun dog is a member of the family of halos caused by the refraction of sunlight by ice crystals in the atmosphere.
The sun dogs appeared due to lasting frosts in Mongolia, where the temperature fell 30°C below zero. In some areas air temperature makes -44°C.
Sun dogs are commonly caused by the refraction and scattering of light from plate-shaped hexagonal ice crystals either suspended in high and cold cirrus or cirrostratus clouds, or drifting in freezing moist air at low levels as diamond dust. The crystals act as prisms, bending the light rays passing through them with a minimum deflection of 22°. As the crystals gently float downwards with their large hexagonal faces almost horizontal, sunlight is refracted horizontally, and sun dogs are seen to the left and right of the Sun.