Four Moons Spotted Over Russia’s St. Petersburg In Rare Sky Phenomenon | Video

Last Updated:February 01, 2026, 21:29 IST

The stargazers witnessed four moons, a rare paraselene phenomenon caused by moonlight refracting through ice crystals in cirrus clouds, creating haunting mock moons.

The stargazers in St Petersburg witness rare phenomenon of four moons. (NEXTA/X)

In a rare incident, the stargazers in Russia’s St. Petersburg were left mesmerised when they caught the glimpse of four moons known as Paraselenae.

Several images of the spectacular optical illusion, which creates the haunting impression of multiple moons flanking the Earth’s actual satellite, erupted on social media on Sunday.

A paraselene, also commonly known as a moon dog or mock moon, is produced by moonlight refracted through thin, hexagonal, plate-shaped ice crystals in high cirrus clouds. It is an atmospheric optical phenomenon where bright spots or “mock moons" appear to the sides of the Moon, caused by light refracting through high-altitude hexagonal ice crystals in cirrus or cirrostratus clouds.

According to NASA, they are seen at an angle of 22 degrees or more from the Moon. Compared to the bright lunar disk, paraselenae are faint and easier to spot when the Moon is low.

The paraselenae are positioned at the same elevation above the horizon as the Moon itself and the vertical extent depends on the wobbling of the ice crystals; larger crystals create taller paraselenae, skybrary reported.

News world Four Moons Spotted Over Russia’s St. Petersburg In Rare Sky Phenomenon | Video

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