Reader photo: rare sun dog image captured off Whitby


This stunning photo of a rare phenomemon in the sky was taken off the coast of Sandsend by Mel Sprague.
“I’m told it is a very rare phenomenon showing two sun dogs either side of the Sun and a halo,” said Mel.
“This is caused by ice crystals in the upper atmosphere.”
Sun dogs are defined as mock suns or phantom suns, an atmospheric phenomenon that consists of a pair of bright spots on either side on the Sun, often co-occurring with a luminous ring known as a 22° halo.