— “Good morning pooch,” I said to myself early one morning several weeks back. I wasn’t talking to my own dog, but rather a rare sight taking place in the eastern sky. There appeared to be two suns, although one was a bit smaller and not as bright.
The morning’s atmospheric conditions had created a rare phenomenon which also caught the attention of friends and coworkers.
“Did you see the miracle in the sky this morning?” asked Joey Kubesch later that day.
What had taken place was known as a “sundog.” The proper name for this weather-related occurrence is actually “parhelia” but it goes by other names as well, like mock or false sun.
Sundogs can appear when the sun is low on the horizon, mostly at sunrise or sunset. They appear when ice crystals form in the upper atmosphere. These ice crystals bend the sunlight and cause a reflected image to appear on one or both sides of our solar system’s biggest and brightest planet. Scientists say the sun has to be about 22-degrees above the horizon before sundogs become visible.
The same phenomena can take place with the moon and is based on the same principle. Although technically known as paraselene, they are more routinely called, you guessed it, moondogs.
Although many times overlooked, our sky can create beautifully interesting optical effects when conditions are just right. But like most of nature’s beauty, they never last long. Just like a rainbow is produced when sunlight is refracted through water droplets, a similar effect is produced when sun or moonlight is refracted through ice crystals.
Sundogs and moondogs are typically the second-most frequent solar and lunar related visual oddities seen from earth, behind halos. The difference between the two rests with the orientation of the ice crystals.
Have you ever noticed how many of our weather extremes somehow manage to incorporate the word “dog”? I cannot answer how the term “raining cats and dogs” originated, but I assume the “dog days of summer” became a common phrase when the temperature grew extremely hot causing our four-legged friends to lie around panting.
The ancient Greeks believed seeing sundogs in the morning generally meant a storm was on the way. That was often true then and remains true to this very day. It is something to keep in mind when climbing into your deer stand later in the day.
On the other hand, some old farmers I know watch the sky from dawn until dusk, every day! They tell me seeing sundogs in the late evening as the sun nears the western horizon signals fair weather the following day. In the winter months, when temperatures usually start falling like a rock in late afternoon, these old timers would squint up at the sundogs and proclaim “tonight will be clear as a bell and cold as hell!” Although I am not totally sure if they are always accurate or not, I do like the way it rhymes!
Kokomo Outdoor Expo
In the dead of winter, many hunting and fishing opportunities are on the back burner. However, those in the know will be hunting for bargains and fishing for expert information and advice.
If you are part of this group you will have a perfect opportunity in the confines of a warm and spacious building. Back for a second year, the Kokomo Outdoor Expo will be held from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Feb. 11 and again from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Feb. 12. The expo will take place at the Kokomo Event Center (formerly known as the Johanning Civic Center). General admission has been set at $5 for adults with children age 14 and younger admitted free.
So far, more than 30 vendors have committed to attend, displaying various types of outdoor products such as custom made fishing tackle and hunting equipment. Several guides will also be on hand providing information on their services.
“It has already grown substantially from last year’s inaugural event,” said show organizer Brian Althouse. “But there is still time if anyone is interested in setting up a booth highlighting their products or service.”
If you are interested in becoming a vendor, contact Althouse at 765-472-4108 or 765-438-4747.
• John Martino is the Tribune’s outdoors columnist. He may be reached by email at jmartinooutdoors@att.net.
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