Am I the only one who notices the interesting stuff?

[Ripley]

It seems that all I see anymore on DU GD are references to CNN et al. Why bring TV gossip here? Are you folks that bored? Turn off the TV, go outside and look up.

Today I was driving down a busy street and I saw the weirdest thing ever. I saw two suns! I'm not kidding and I'm not on drugs! Keeping my eyes closely on traffic I kept looking up and then I noticed a partial rainbow over the "other" sun. Then when I had a chance at the stop light to really look I saw an almost THIRD SUN! Okay. Settle down. I've read about this somewhere...it's a certain type of cloud feature. It creates a sort of halo around the sun like a rainbow with shiny points (the "suns").

It was very beautiful and at every stop light I admired it. I looked around me and I saw people in other cars eating, talking on phones and just staring ahead. No one seemed to notice the beautiful cloud formation that I was seeing. Their loss! It lasted a long time, but changed some.

Ah well, it made me enjoy a natural phenomenon in the sky instead of yelling at W-stickered SUV's for a change.

Anyone know what that effect or cloud type is called? I've heard of it, but never saw it until today. :)

[aquart]

1. Doesn't this belong in the Lounge?

[Ripley]

3. Why is this lounge material?

Huh? I ask you aquart? Why?

And if you think half the freaking crap in GD is worthy of being in general discussion: "Gee, is Anderson Cooper gay?" "PETA" threads and pictures of Pickles clothing choices...well, I guess you're right,

I'm a freak, I wanted to generally discuss a SUN DOG I saw and see if other people here at DU observed them too, and if it means anything.

Cooper, PETA and Pickles MEAN ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO ME.

pftt.

[Career Prole]

2. Sun dogs! I've never seen it...glad you did, though.

:D
Article here:
http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/atmos/halo22.html

[Ripley]

4. Woo hoo!!

Thanks CP! That's what I saw but it was not sunset, it was mid-afternoon.

Oh, wait, should I not be allowed to talk about our visible atmosphere in GD? Gee, someone thinks it should be in the freaking lounge!?!

[Career Prole]

6. I'd heard of 'em on NPR's "Earth and Sky"

All I've seen in Texas for atmospheric effects is blowing dust.
"Oh look, Maw...there goes Lubbock!"
I should be thanking you for causing me to Google 'em.
I clicked on "Other Halo Effects" and found quite a fascinating collection of phenomena to study on for a while.
Thanks for "making me look"!
:toast:

[Sugarbleus]

5. Hey Ripley...neat story. I haven't seen that phenom

but it's interesting that you recommend getting outside. I'm feeling that way also.

Maybe it's burn out, don't know. But I'm pretty bored with politics 24/7. I don't watch the news a fraction as much and I actually go outside a bit more frequently to enjoy the crisp cool pre winter days. It's gorgeous where I'm at.

I've been so involved in the poltical fiasco that I forgot to breathe.

It's good to take a break; to simply enjoy being alive..get some fresh air and excercise etc.

Great story; thanks for sharing! :hi:

[Career Prole]

7. Hey, Sugarbleus...

If you're away from city lights I heard you can see Andromeda through the northern Milky Way. A little larger than a full moon and appearing like a cloud. :)

[Kali]

8. yep sun dogs

seen lots. don't see why you can't talk about it here? maybe its not political related? who cares?

[DrWeird]

9. I saw Satan, once, while mowing the lawn.

I made a sketch.

[bobbieinok]

10. saw sun dogs several times in Newfoundland in the 70s

had never heard of them before

[Kenneth ken]

11. thanks!

I'd never heard of sun dogs before. Sounds pretty cool, and the picture posted is pretty cool!

I saw a meteor burning up in the atmosphere a couple weeks ago in the morning. I was walking home from the grocery. Noticed it out of the corner of my eye; took a minute or so to work out what it was. It looked like a short, thin, line of fire. Was probably actually pretty large, but far away. It traveled almost parallel to the ground, but slightly dropping. I watched it for about five minutes, then it must have burned out or whatever they do, because the fire line ended, but still high in the sky.

:hi: