Did you see the moon dog?

3 Nov

The moon put on a spectacular show last Saturday night; perhaps you saw it. It was called a “moon dog.” I didn’t notice it, but learned about it instead from Jackson Thomas, one of my loyal readers, who sent me the following description and photos from when he attended the Webster Recreation Center’s Pumpkins on Parade event that night:

In addition to the amazing activities and decorations (at Pumpkins on Parade), participants were also treated to a somewhat rare astronomical event: moon dogs.  This atmospheric phenomenon is the night-time equivalent of the sun dogs sometimes seen during the day when high, thin cirrus clouds create a bright, colorful spot on either or both sides of the sun. 

Moon dogs, like sun dogs, appear within the 22-degree halo surrounding either the moon or the sun, although this halo of refracted light is not always visible around the sun, unlike the brilliant halo we witnessed that evening surrounding the moon.  Sun dogs are colorful and appear to be miniature rainbows as sunlight is refracted through ice crystals at high altitude within those cirrus clouds.  Moon dogs ordinarily lack the color of sun dogs, because moonlight is not strong enough to activate the color-sensing cones in our eyes, but, as you will see in my photos, there was a slight touch of color due to the moon’s brilliance that evening.

Jackson also attached the informational photo below, and a link to more photos of these beautiful phenomena. Click through either or both if you’re interested in learning more.

Thank you Jet for sending this along!

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(posted 11/3/2023)

3 Responses to “Did you see the moon dog?”

  1. hahimes's avatar
    hahimes November 3, 2023 at 8:54 pm #

    That is so interesting!!! You do such a great job of highlighting all kinds of things, events, people most of us might never know about. Thank you so much for sharing your gifts the way you do. ??

    Heather

    “By the tender mercies of our God, the dawn from on high will break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness; and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace” (Luke 1:78-79) ________________________________

  2. Nancy Syracusa's avatar
    Nancy Syracusa November 4, 2023 at 5:51 am #

    In the information photo, I see the Cross standing on Earth and then rest of the phenomenon science describes. Beautiful!

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