Giant sun dogs light up the sky as temperatures drop in Prince George | 24CA News
Plunging temperatures and sunny skies resulted in some nice photograph alternatives in Prince George, B.C., Thursday as an optical phantasm referred to as “sun dogs” might be noticed all through town.
A solar canine — also referred to as a “mock sun” or parhelion in meteorology — is shaped when ice crystals hanging within the environment start bending daylight, leading to a shiny circle surrounded by a halo of sunshine and, if the angle is correct, even rainbows.
They are significantly seen when the solar is close to the horizon and temperatures drop under freezing.
That was the case Thursday morning, because the temperature in Prince George fell to -30 C and dawn was delayed till 8:06 a.m. PT, throughout most individuals’s morning commute.
Photographer Chuck Chin noticed a number of solar canine on his drive into city, however the sky was so shiny he had a troublesome time capturing them along with his digital camera.
He had higher luck within the afternoon throughout a go to to Cottonwood Island Park when he was capable of stroll out onto the dry riverbed and snap a number of pictures of the phenomenon over the CN Rail bridge.
Chin says the show was one of many “most intense” shows of color he is ever seen over a number of years of photographing the skyline.
“I could feel ice crystals on my face.”
Mark Karjaluto additionally photographed the phenomenon whereas he was on campus on the College of New Caledonia.
“I saw a number of students looking out and taking photos,” the communications director mentioned.
Karjaluto mentioned he’d by no means seen a solar canine earlier than, however one in all his favorite issues about winter is when there are clear skies on sunny, snowy days, brightening issues up as the times get shorter.
“It’s one of the things that I [love] about Prince George.”
The odds of extra solar canine being seen this weekend are good, as Environment Canada is forecasting sunshine and highs of -18 C Saturday and Sunday.
