Mock Sun for Dummies

Alright, so "mock sun" is a term people use to describe a really cool phenomenon that sometimes happens in the sky. It's also called a "sun dog" or a "parhelion." Basically, what happens is that you might see something that looks like a bright light next to the sun, kind of like there are three suns in the sky! It's really just an optical illusion caused by ice crystals in the atmosphere, but it can be super cool to see.

So, imagine you're outside on a really cold day, and there are thin, wispy clouds in the sky. If the sun is shining through those clouds, the light might get bent, or refracted, by the ice crystals in the clouds. This bending makes it look like there are extra suns in the sky, and that's the mock sun or sun dog.

You might think it sounds a bit strange or hard to imagine, but it's actually quite fascinating and beautiful when you see it in person. It's kind of like when you look in a mirror and it creates a reflection that makes it seem like there are two of you, but in reality, it's just the way the mirror works.

So, next time you're outside and you see something that looks like two extra suns near the real sun, you can tell your friends all about how you saw a mock sun, and impress them with your cool knowledge!