This sun dog was seen over the S.F. East Bay on June 18, 2013. It is the result of sunlight refracting through tiny ice crystals in the atmosphere usually when cirrus clouds are present. The nickname “sun dog” comes from the halos next to the sun being like loyal dogs keeping pace with their master.
They often are considered good luck if you see a real one. It “followed” us from one East Bay town to the other for most of the mid day.
