This photo is not the mini-me version of the sun or some alien vehicle crossing the winter sky on the horizon. These are sun-dogs that I was able to capture during our recent tour of Stratford Hall Plantation in Virginia. (Stratford Hall Plantation is approximately 1900 acres preserved in memory of the very wealthy Lee family of American history. Maybe I will post more on that someday.)
These sun-dogs are formed by sunlight and ice crystals and can be seen best when the sun is low in the sky. They appear on each side of the sun. These photos were taken at about 4:00 in the late afternoon. If I had been able to shoot directly at the sun with a filtered lens I would have been able to capture the sun-dog on each side with the sun in the middle. But here the sun is off the screen on opposite sides in these photos. The earliest description of the sun-dog was probably 1533 in Moravia. Fascination with sun-dogs can be found in literature, poetry, music and art whenever people think three suns in the sky are an omen of some kind.
Keep your eyes toward the late sky in winter and you may see sun-dogs. Woof!
Fabulous!!!
ReplyDeleteHugs
SueAnn
Don't know that I have ever heard of sun dogs before but I think I like them.
ReplyDeletei haven't heard of sun dogs before. i love them tabor! great shots!
ReplyDeleteTabor, I've never heard of this before, nor seen it. What a thoroughly enjoyable, eye-opening experience.
ReplyDeleteI've been there, by the way, long ago. Very long ago, actually. It would be lovely, at least from my perspective, if you did do a post.
You know how long ago things exist only at the fringes of your memory? That's how it is for me. I read your post, and thought, "Oh my dad took me there...I remember...hmmm...I remember some...grass? Oh lord."
Absolutely fascinating stuff. I'd necer heard of sun dogs beofre. :)
ReplyDeleteI have never heard of this before.
ReplyDeleteI will keep my eye on the sky.
Thank you for teaching me something new!!!
my eyes must be failing....I cannot see a dog? Am i supposed to? I will reread and look some more....
ReplyDeleteThis just proves that you are never too old to learn something new. Like the others, I had never heard of sun dogs before. I think they are the small bright spots on the side of the sun that look like small suns. Amazing!
ReplyDeleteI need to do some research on why they are called dogs...perhaps because they stay at the side of the sun. Beverly, they do not actually look like dogs, so your eyes are not deceiving you.
ReplyDeleteFascinating. I saw one about a month ago, but I didn't know what it was then. Thanks for the lesson.
ReplyDeleteI liked that!
ReplyDeleteI've never heard of a sun-dog before!
ReplyDeleteI had only heard of sun dogs for the first time when I happened to photograph one two winters ago and posted it on my blog. One of my readers informed me what it was. I'd had no idea. That year I continued to see several. I really need my camera to SEE! Lovely shots. You're right about how they get that name. They heel on either side of their master, the sun.
ReplyDeleteI see a woman with wind in her hair! Now I know what a sun dog is.
ReplyDeleteI have never heard of sun dogs. Fascinating!
ReplyDeleteI just love to see these. I've captured a few in my photographing lifetime and always feel "honored" to see them.
ReplyDeleteGorgeous!