Captured with iPhone 16 pro, set at 13mm f2.2
One of the joys of living in Alaska is seeing how the effects of extremely cold air create unique atmospheric optical phenomena rarely seen in warmer climates. Moon dogs (paraselenes) are the two bright spots seen on either side of the moon, along the arc of the halo, and are caused by the refraction of moonlight by ice crystals in the air. This photo, captured two days ago, was the brightest instance of moon dogs I’ve ever seen in 14 years of living in interior Alaska.