subsun

thumb |250px|A subsun seen from an airplane

A subsun (also spelled sub-sun) is an optical phenomenon that appears as a glowing spot visible within clouds or mist when observed from above. The subsun appears directly below the actual Sun, and is caused by sunlight reflecting off numerous tiny ice crystals suspended in the atmosphere. As such, the effect belongs to the family of halos. It is also known as a "sun candle".