Unusual solar phenomenon seen at Wick riverside
An unusual solar phenomenon was witnessed over Wick riverside on Saturday evening with two mini rainbows either side of the setting sun.
The phenomenon is known as a sun dog, mock sun or parhelion and is caused by sunlight passing through hexagonal ice crystals contained within cirrus clouds.
The Met Office states: "In the right circumstances two sun dogs may appear with a slight colouration of red and blue. Sometimes only one will appear or one will be notably brighter than the other. Most often they will appear as two luminous areas either side of the Sun, with no discernible colour."
Sun dogs are best seen and most conspicuous when the Sun is near the horizon. The sun dogs seen at Wick riverside appeared as mini rainbows either side of the setting sun with the right-hand side one being much stronger.
Editor of the John O'Groat Journal and Caithness Courier, John Davidson, recently took a shot of a particularly striking example when out running at Blackfold near Inverness.
