Watch: Seven Suns Appear in China Sky—Real or Mirage?

A captivating video from a hospital in China has left viewers amazed as it appears to show seven suns in the sky. However, this phenomenon isn’t magical or miraculous but rather an optical illusion. The video, which has quickly gained attention on social media, was captured by a woman filming the setting sun.

In the video, instead of a single sun, the camera lens recorded seven suns seemingly shining in the sky. While it may look like an extraordinary celestial event, the effect is actually due to light refracting through a paned glass window, creating a stunning optical illusion.

The video was taken from the 11th floor of a hospital in Chengdu, located in the southwestern Sichuan province of China, on August 18. The footage shows the sun’s image duplicated multiple times, with varying levels of brightness. The woman who filmed the video, identified as Wang, has garnered widespread attention, with viewers intrigued by the unusual sight.

Social media users have been quick to offer various theories about the phenomenon. On the Chinese platform Weibo, one user suggested that a “glitch” in the magnetic field might have caused parallel universes to appear simultaneously. “This happened because of a magnetic field glitch that made parallel universes visibly manifest,” they commented.

Another user humorously added, “The Cosmic Bureau has fixed the issue, and those responsible have been reprimanded.”

On X (formerly known as Twitter), one person remarked, “You’ve all seen ‘Two Suns’ but have you seen ‘Seven Suns’? Filmed in China. I’m starting to think we’ve all been lied to….”

However, some viewers offered more scientific explanations. A user named Sarahh noted that the strange sight could be a rare form of parhelia, a phenomenon where atmospheric reflection and refraction through ice crystals, pollution, or other particles can create “sun dogs.” She explained, “Normally, one or two sun dogs are visible, but the appearance of seven suns is something straight out of Shakespeare, prophecy, or perhaps a Nicolas Cage movie.”