spectral growl

false etymologies:  par-helion (sub-sun) or parhe-lion (roar!)

dream eaters

Baku (獏) are Japanese dream eating spirits, traditionally depicted with elephant trunks, tusks and the paws of a tiger, like in these amazing carvings on a tiny shrine in Nikko. I first came across them on a moonlit night, when I took a shortcut back from the corner store to the place where I was staying. It was like stepping into a Miyazaki film - the tall pines outlined against the sky, the silvery stone lions guarding the shrine entrance, the bizarre carvings overhead, and a deep silence broken only by the sound of the wind...

Baku also feature prominently in a rather luscious illustrated tale called The Dream Hunters written by Neil Gaiman, and illustrated by Yoshitaka Amano, where they appear alongside one of Gaiman's best-loved characters, the Sandman.

In this case, the baku seem curious about what's going on above their heads.

tint the sky

parhelion bound

hug

The most amazing display of ice haloes I have ever seen. Over the town of Woodstock in Oxfordshire. A 22° halo was visible, topped by a sun gull and parry arc. The sundogs are out of shot here, but were very colourful. The brightest part was the cloud smile (CZA) sitting on top of what looked like a 46° halo, but could also have been a superlateral arc. It was so impressive I was stopping strangers in the street to show them. The may have thought I was a bit mad... They may have been right. It was glorious.

The week of ice haloes concludes tomorrow...

sunset dogs

Does anyone else see a sun pillar here as well as the upper edge of the sun dog (parhelion)? The 22 halo had been visible for a while - though faint - but the sundogs were pretty clear in the mixed sky.

(a week of ice haloes continues)

traveller

sun dogs can appear at 22 degrees, from either side of the the sun - when ice crystals in cirrus clouds are at the right angle to refract prismatic sunlight. they are quite exciting. to check for sundogs location on a hazy day, hold your arm straight in front of you. when your thumb covers the sun, there might be a sundog at your little finger

it might be a long time between sightings...

notes from the family album...

back from the south coast. skies in abundance...

sun dogs