3 suns in sky over china

[Eastender]

Anyone seen the pictures, looks scary to me. What with all the freak weather all around the world.

[boxtops]

have you got a link?

[Eastender]

you tube

[naomi24]

Here you are Boxtops.

http://www.independen...er-china-2180772.html

[woofgang]

I have seen a similar phenomenon at sea where objects over the horizon and hidden from view are reflected in the sky.

[naomi24]

According to Stephen Fry and QI, every time we think we are watching the sunset, we're not really because it's already set and what we're actually seeing is a reflection. (Or something like that. Quite Interesting anyway).

[jake-the-peg]

sun dogs

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sun_dog

[DTCwordfan]

Guess if they saw it in Japan, they could claim they are "land of the rising suns."

[NazNomad]

http://www.theanswerb...2.html#answer-5468328

[Huderon]

There is a really nice photo of the same kind of thing taken in Stockholm last year here http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap110110.html and you can find more images and explanations of that and lots of other phenomena at http://www.atoptics.co.uk/

[R1Geezer]

Not a reflection Naomi, it's caused by the bending of light through different densities of atmosphere, like when you put a stick in the water it appears to bend.

[B00]

That's ace!

[naomi24]

Well, whatever the cause Geezer - and I can't remember exactly what Stephen Fry said - you aren't seeing the setting sun because it's already set and so it's not where it appears to be.

[R1Geezer]

Correct the cause I described is what they said on QI

[naomi24]

Oh, right. Thanks for that.

[gen2]

You don't have to go to China to see these halo phenomena. You get them all in the UK though not usually as strongly defined as shown in the video.

Most people don't look up at the sky and so miss them.

[jomifl]

Gen2 is absolutely right you only have to keep your eyes open and look around you and you will see all sorts of unusual natural phenomena. The picture is an extreme example of 'sun dogs' which are quite common, I see them many times per year, you just have to know what to look for. 'Moon dogs. also occur but more rarely. There is a whole menagerie of phenomena of this kind and if you are observant you will see most of them.

[Andyvon]

Quite right Jake and Jo. They're sun dogs which are not that unusual. They are caused by sunlight refracting through ice crystals in the atmosphere - I think through an angle of 22 degrees. I've seen them a few times in the UK.

Why do people make out that perfectly natural phenomena must be something unusual?