sundog
© Alerta Roja/FacebookFirst sundogs appeared.
Rare sundogs accompanied by a reverse rainbow stunned residents of Calama and Antofagasta, Chile on February 17, 2016.

As if the parhelia was smiling at us from the sky.

 circumzenithal arc
© Alerta Roja/FacebookThen a circumzenithal arc appeared over the parhelia.
So we have seen three different kinds of atmospheric phenomena in these pictures... Sundogs or parhelia which consists of a pair of bright spots on either side on the Sun. Circumzenithal arc which is an optical phenomenon similar in appearance to a reverse rainbow. And finally a circumhorizontal arc which in its full form appear like a large, brightly spectrum-coloured band running parallel to the horizon, located below the Sun or Moon.

All these sky phenomena are members of a large family of halos, created by light interacting with ice crystals or rain in the atmosphere.

sundog
© Alerta Roja/FacebookFirst sundogs appeared.

On top as well as below the tripping star. Is that a circumhorizontal arc?
© FacebookOn top as well as below the tripping star. Is that a circumhorizontal arc?
circumhorizontal
© FacebookHere another more colorful picture of this circumhorizontal arc over Antofagasta.
 circumhorizontal arc
© Facebook
 circumhorizontal arc.
© FacebookAnd again some iridescent clouds. Or I believe them to be a circumhorizontal arc. What about you?