A sun dog is an atmospheric phenomenon that creates bright spots of light in the sky on both sides of the sun, often on a luminous ring or halo.

A sun dog or sundog, is also known by the term mock sun or phantom sun.

Like light pillars, sun dogs are the product of light passing through crystals. 

The particular shape and orientation of the crystals can have a drastic visual impact for the viewer, producing a longer tail and changing the range of colors one sees. 

The relative height of the sun in the sky shifts the distance the sun dogs appear to be on either side of the sun. 

Varying climactic conditions on other planets in our solar system produce halos with up to four sun dogs from those planets' perspectives. 

 sun dog #1 - 4