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two brothers. This scene is re-enacted within Shakespeare’s play Henry VI Part 3, where the would-be King
Edward exclaims, “Dazzle mine eyes, or do I see three suns?” This event clearly had an impact on Edward,
as he later incorporated the Sun into his personal badge. Appearances of parhelia have long been associated with weather predictions, often recorded as meaning that a storm is coming. We now know that
this isn’t necessarily the case; it largely depends on the direction of the weather front in question. Given
our current level of knowledge, it is difficult to imagine a time when people truly believed the appearance
of an atmospheric phenomenon could be interpreted as a sign of good or bad luck; that their fate was
hinged upon a bright patch in the sky. But it is easy to see how awe inspiring the sight must have been for
our ancient ancestors, and how it inspired so many stories. Even with our vast knowledge I am still captivated by the sight myself, imagining all of those tiny prisms diffracting rays of sunlight, and I was totally
blown away when I recently saw my first moondog. But I know it doesn’t mean that I will be successful
in battle, or that rain is on the way. The presence of one or two parhelia means only thing for certain; that
there are cirrus clouds in the sky!
ICY SCIENCE | WINTER 2013- 2014