Two suns in South Cotabato? Kuya Kim explains what caused the optical illusion

A netizen's video taken in Koronadal, South Cotabato went viral online after he captured what appeared to be two suns on opposite ends of the sky.

Lean Leonel Bastareche said that he took the clip during the sunset, and one side appeared brighter than the other.

However, Kuya Kim explained on "24 Oras," Thursday, that while it seemed like there were two suns in the video, it is impossible because there is only one sun in our solar system.

And should another sun appear, it will affect the gravity we experience and the earth's orbit.

According to PAGASA expert Mario Raymundo, the captured video may just be an atmospheric optical illusion.

"It's an atmospheric phenomena. 'Yung mga sinasabi na sun dog," he said.

A sun dog is an atmospheric optical phenomenon where a bright spot appears on one or both sides of the sun. This happens because of the refraction of sunlight in the ice crystals in our atmosphere.

"Reflected sunlight ito na tumatama sa atmosphere. The moment na lumubog o kaya naman ay sumikat ang araw, depende doon sa number o present na ice particles ay nagbibigay siya ng mga ganoong mga images," Raymundo said.

Sun dogs are located about 22° to the right, left, or both sides of the sun. It is also called mock sun or parhelia because the sun and sun dog are almost the same color.

"'Yung nangyari kasi sa Koronadal is very rare," Raymundo said.

—Carby Basina/MGP, GMA Integrated News