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We understand this atmospheric phenomenon very well now, and we can even speculate that they form
in the atmosphere of other planets too. But this wasn’t always the case. There are a lot of references in
mythology and folklore which we now believe are referring to sundogs.
The word “parhelia” comes from the Greek language, meaning “beside the sun”. But it is also known by
several other names; sundog, mock sun or phantom sun. It is easy to understand how ancient civilizations would have interpreted these peculiar bright patches as “mock suns” but where did the name
sundog originate? Its first recorded use was in 1631 by the British Naval Captain Luke Foxe. He used it
in his journal whilst on a search for the North West Passage. However, this was clearly not a new term
that he had coined himself. In the 1st century AD, the Greek playwright Seneca used the term “parhelion” to mean sundogs. The origin of these two parallel terms is thought to be from the Greek and
Germanic languages which then entered into the English language. If the two bright patches of light
rise alongside the Sun, following it as dogs would follow their master, then this is perhaps one possible
origin of the term “sundog”. However, a better explanation may come from Germanic mythology. Odin
was the sky god, and he was said to have two dogs, one named Geri and one named Freki, so people
seeing their god rising with two faithful companions may have been the source of the name sundog.
The appearance of atmospheric phenomenon like parhelia would have given ancient story tellers many
opportunities to tell their tales, and many stories there are. Most of the ancient writings refer to sky
gods and twin sons of the sky. In Greek mythology Zeus was god of the sky, and there is reference to
“Dioskouri” which translates as “Sons of God”. In Greek mythology there are two sets of twin sons of the
sky god. Stories from Babylon, China and India all feature twin sons of the sky. The native American
cultures of Zuni, Hopi and Apache feature sun twins. Elsewhere in America, sun twins appear in the
writings of the Seneca of New York State and Maya of Central America. Women of South East Africa
who gave birth to twin sons were said to have children of the sky. Finally, there are ancient carvings in
Scandinavia which depict twin figures that are associated with the Sun.
ICY SCIENCE | WINTER 2013- 2014