parhelion

A bright spot sometimes appearing at either side of the sun, often on a luminous ring or halo, caused by the refraction and reflection of sunlight by ice crystals suspended in the earth’s atmosphere.

An intensification of a circular space in a solar halo, generally in prismatic colors, sometimes dazzlingly bright.

A mock sun appearing in the form of a bright light, sometimes near the sun, and tinged with colors like the rainbow, and sometimes opposite to the sun. The latter is usually called an anthelion. Often several mock suns appear at the same time. Cf. paraselene.

A bright spot in the sky due to the refraction of the sun’s image by ice crystals.

a reflection or image

a bright spot on the parhelic circle; caused by diffraction by ice crystals