noun
- Plural of paraselene; bright spots that appear on either side of the moon, similar to sundogs but occurring around the moon.
Usage: technical; astronomy; rare
Examples
- On clear winter nights, observers sometimes report seeing paraselenae flanking the full moon.
- The paraselenae were caused by ice crystals in the upper atmosphere refracting moonlight.
- Ancient astronomers documented paraselenae as celestial omens in their records.
- Unlike sundogs, paraselenae are less frequently observed due to the moon's dimmer light.