parhelion
a bright circular spot on a solar halo; a mock sun: usually one of two or more such spots seen on opposite sides of the sun, and often accompanied by additional luminous arcs and bands.: Compare paraselene.
Origin of parhelion
1- Also called sundog.
Other words from parhelion
- par·he·lic, par·he·li·a·cal [pahr-hi-lahy-uh-kuhl], /ˌpɑr hɪˈlaɪ ə kəl/, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use parhelion in a sentence
Parhelia are generally accompanied with coronas, some of which are tinged with rainbow colours, but others are white.
The Book of Curiosities | I. PlattsParhelia, or mock suns, frequently shone in different quarters of the firmament.
Notable Voyagers | W.H.G. Kingston and Henry FrithAnd how her eyes sparkled as she said these words, like the parhelia in the glowing girdle of a solar halo!
Eyes Like the Sea | Mr JkaiThere are, however, coron sometimes seen without parhelia, and vice vers.
Cicero's Tusculan Disputations | Marcus Tullius CiceroThe parhelia are formed by the reflection of the sunbeams on a cloud properly situated.
Cicero's Tusculan Disputations | Marcus Tullius Cicero
British Dictionary definitions for parhelion
/ (pɑːˈhiːlɪən) /
one of several bright spots on the parhelic circle or solar halo, caused by the diffraction of light by ice crystals in the atmosphere, esp around sunset: Also called: mock sun, sundog Compare anthelion
Origin of parhelion
1Derived forms of parhelion
- parhelic (pɑːˈhiːlɪk, -ˈhɛlɪk) or parheliacal (ˌpɑːhɪˈlaɪəkəl), adjective
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Scientific definitions for parhelion
[ pär-hē′lē-ən ]
A white spot appearing at times in the parhelic circle. White parhelia are believed to form from light that is reflected off of atmospheric ice crystals; colored parhelia are believed to form from light that is refracted by atmospheric ice crystals. Multiple parhelia can often be seen simultaneously. Compare anthelion.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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