Dictionary term
Sundog
Direct answer
Sundog: A Sundog, or parhelion, is a bright often colored patch near the Sun level, commonly about 22 degrees to either side, formed by plate-shaped ice crystals.
A Sundog is a colored ice-crystal light patch beside the Sun.
- Source
- The Great Almanac Dictionary
- Category
- Seasons & Earth Almanac
- Also appears in
- Seasons & Earth Almanac
- Aliases
- None listed
- Last updated
- 2026-07-16
Quick reference
- Use when
- Use Sundog in halo identification, cirrus observation, and safe daytime skywatching.
- Do not use it for
- Shield the direct Sun and never use unfiltered magnification to inspect a Sundog.
- Reference category
- Seasons & Earth Almanac
- Related terms
- 22-Degree Halo, Circumzenithal Arc, Astronomical Season, Equinox
The story behind Sundog
Sundogs appear in weather chronicles and art across many regions; optical theory later explained their plate-crystal ray paths.
Sundog in spiritual tradition
Spiritually, Sundogs can delight observers without serving as omens of personal fortune or disaster.
The Great Almanac frames Sundog with educational restraint. Mystical or symbolic language may be meaningful, but it should not be exaggerated into certainty, panic, or permission to ignore ordinary responsibility.
Sundog in the Bible
This is a factual calendar, astronomy, Earth-science, cultural-history, or observational reference. It can support wonder and practical planning without becoming a claim of fate, spiritual causation, or private revelation.
Sundog in numerology
Sundog is not a numerology claim. Any numbers attached to it should retain their ordinary scientific, calendrical, navigational, or historical meaning unless a separate symbolic interpretation is clearly labeled.
Why Sundog matters
Its color order, position, and Sun-height dependence help distinguish it from clouds and lens flare.
Example in a reading: A low winter Sun may be flanked by red-edged bright spots at the same altitude.
Interpretive caution: Shield the direct Sun and never use unfiltered magnification to inspect a Sundog.
How Sundog is used in a reading
Use Sundog in halo identification, cirrus observation, and safe daytime skywatching.
Where interpretation stops
Sundog is presented as sourced astronomy, calendrical, Earth-science, cultural, or instrument-history reference. Definitions should distinguish measured phenomena from civil convention and historical interpretation, preserve location and time dependencies, and avoid turning factual sky data into a deterministic personal claim.
Sources and editorial method
Research references used for this entry include:
- National Weather Service: Atmospheric Optics - NWS science reference for halos, pillars, sundogs, green flashes, rays, and related optical displays.
The page starts with a direct definition, then separates use, example, caution, spiritual meaning, and historical context. For astrology, occult, demonology, curse, and spiritual warfare terms, the editorial rule is to explain the term without making fear-based, fatalistic, medical, legal, financial, or ritual-instruction claims.
Continue learning
Continue into the live sky, space weather, universal timing, and the wider field surrounding the current season.
Open Worldwide WatchRelated terms
These related entries help place Sundog inside a wider reference cluster instead of leaving it as a standalone keyword.
