Solar phenomenon are events that occur in the atmosphere of the sun. An ECLIPSE is an event where the moon passes between the sun and the earth, blocking out the sun's light. Sunspots are dark spots on the surface of the sun caused by intense magnetic activity. Flares are sudden brightenings of the sun's surface caused by the release of energy from the sun's atmosphere. Sundogs are bright spots of light that appear on either side of the sun caused by the refraction of sunlight through ice crystals in the atmosphere.