According to experts, such optical effects occur due to the refraction and reflection of light in ice crystals found in the lower layers of the atmosphere. A combination of frosty weather and a high concentration of ice suspension contributes to the formation of such unusual phenomena.
On January 16, 2026, a video capturing a rare atmospheric phenomenon over Alaska appeared on social media. The footage shows four bright light discs simultaneously appearing on the horizon at dawn, visually resembling several suns. Meteorologists explained that this is also parhelia — a halo phenomenon in which "false suns" form on both sides of the Sun.
Similar cases were also recorded in other northern regions in 2026. In January, residents of the Sakhalin region witnessed classic parhelia with two light spots on either side of the Sun, and a few days later, a similar phenomenon was recorded in the city of Genkhe, where the effect manifested against a backdrop of severe frost and the low position of the sun on the horizon.
Experts emphasize that parhelia and other types of halos are most often observed in northern latitudes when low temperatures and a large number of ice crystals in the atmosphere combine.
