Earlier this year, Russia experienced a rare anomaly – a condition in its atmosphere made it look like the country had three suns. This rare optical illusion giving the appearance of three suns in the sky was caught on camera and it isn’t a fake. The atmospheric phenomena are more commonly known as ‘Sun Dogs’ or ‘Phantom Suns’.

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There are two bright spots that occur on either side of the sun. Experts say that the optical effect was due to the refraction of sunlight through ice crystals suspended in the air. The optical illusion normally takes place after the night frosts and when the temperature falls rapidly. The phenomenon, which takes place some six to nine miles above the earth, shows the sun with two reflections either side – often described as sundogs or ‘phantom suns’.

This is not the first time that such ice crystals have caused a triple sunrise over Russia however.