Rare sundog phenomenon graces Kathmandu sky

An extraordinary sight appeared in the Kathmandu sky on Monday morning. On the left side of the sun, a vertical streak of colorful light, resembling a rainbow, was shining brightly. Although many mistook it for a regular rainbow, it was actually a rare optical phenomenon known as a sundog . Remarkably, this phenomenon can appear even in the absence of rain.

According to science, a sundog occurs when tiny hexagonal ice crystals suspended in thin clouds called cirrus or cirrostratus high in the atmosphere refract and reflect sunlight. When the light bends at an angle of about 22 degrees, colorful spots, similar to rainbows appear to the left or right of the sun. In Monday morning’s sky over Kathmandu, the spot was clearly visible on the left side of the sun.