Stunning solar phenomenon called 'sundogs' light up the sky

Have you ever seen these weird patches of light near the sun? It's not a trick of the lens - these are sundogs, which tend to form when it's super cold.

Temperatures typically need to be low enough for ice crystals to form in the air which then refract light when the sun's low in the sky, i.e. during sunset or sunrise.

The result is spots of light about appearing at 22 degrees on either or both sides of the sun.

If you're lucky, you may even see a sundog appear as a ring or halo around the sun.

It is also possible to still see them as temperatures rise if high-level cirrus clouds are present in the sky.

Sundogs are also called 'mock suns' or 'parhelia', which is a Greek word meaning "beside the sun".