A strange phenomenon occurred in the Chinese city of Chengdu a few days ago: seven suns appeared in the sky at sunset, impressing many of those present.
However, this is not something supernatural, but rather an optical effect. The correct name is parhelion, also known as “false sun”, and it is something rare to see in the normal way.
Natural phenomenon
The ‘seven suns’ are an optical effect caused by the reflection of the sun on the ice in the atmosphere
This event occurs when the light emitted by the sun reflects off ice crystals floating in the atmosphere, creating the illusion that there are several suns around the real star, in this case up to seven copies.
For this phenomenon to occur, the climate must be cold. The time of day is also key, since it is easier for it to appear at dawn or dusk, since the sun is below the horizon.
Parhelia do not always have the same shape. Sometimes they can appear vertical and elongated, or simply have a rounded shape like the sun itself but do not emit as much light.
