Icelandic Sun Dog

Driving from Northern Iceland to Kirkjufell in one day was already going to be a long journey. But it was impossible not to stop and take a photo from the side of the road every few minutes, so it turned out to be a very long day!

But one I would do all over again.

I'd never even heard of a sun dog before I saw this one. Just driving along the snow-covered highway, I looked out and saw what I thought was a rainbow. But when we stopped for the millionth time to get out and have a proper look, we realised it was an absolutely surreal halo around the sun.

Google explained later that this phenomena is known as a Sun Dog. Something to do with ice crystals hovering in the atmosphere reflecting light in a peculiar way.

Whatever the explanation, it was beautiful to look at, and amazing to capture in a photo.