Rare 'Four Moons' Phenomenon Dazzles St. Petersburg Sky
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News18•01-02-2026, 21:29
Rare 'Four Moons' Phenomenon Dazzles St. Petersburg Sky
- •Stargazers in St. Petersburg, Russia, witnessed a rare optical illusion of four moons, known as Paraselenae.
- •Images of the spectacular phenomenon, also called moon dogs or mock moons, went viral on social media.
- •Paraselenae are created when moonlight refracts through hexagonal ice crystals in high cirrus clouds.
- •The phenomenon appears as bright spots flanking the actual Moon, typically at a 22-degree angle or more.
- •They are easier to spot when the Moon is low, and their vertical extent depends on the size and wobbling of ice crystals.
Why It Matters: A rare atmospheric optical phenomenon, Paraselenae, created an illusion of four moons over St. Petersburg.
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