Paraselene in Moscow: Rare 'Three Moons' Phenomenon

A rare atmospheric phenomenon, known as a 'paraselene' or 'moon dog,' was observed in the sky over Moscow, creating spectacular images and numerous social media posts.

A paraselene is an optical phenomenon where multiple bright images of the Moon appear in the night sky. This illusion is caused by the refraction and reflection of moonlight by hexagonal ice crystals in the atmosphere.

Low temperatures and the presence of thin ice clouds contributed to the occurrence of the phenomenon. The paraselene is analogous to 'sun dogs' that appear around the Sun and is of interest to scientists and photographers.