Sun dogs
John Sinotte, Jr., Baxter, shared this photo he captured of these sun dogs above the Lexington Mfg. building in Brainerd, on Jan. 9. Sun dogs are an optical phenomenon, caused by the refraction of sunlight on flat, hexagon ice crystals (diamond dust) found high in the sky in Cirrus clouds. A pair of mock suns appear on either side of the sun, forming a halo that appears to encircle the sun. Many times a halo effect is seen, other than the flat, bright floating sun dogs that appear more frequently. Moondogs can also appear in a lunar halo. (Submitted photo)