diff --git a/simgear/scene/sky/oursun.hxx b/simgear/scene/sky/oursun.hxx
index 3c33fd73..57d4b0cb 100644
--- a/simgear/scene/sky/oursun.hxx
+++ b/simgear/scene/sky/oursun.hxx
@@ -79,6 +79,9 @@ public:
 
     // retrun the current color of the sun
     inline float *get_color() { return  cl->get( 0 ); }
+
+    // return the texture id of the sun halo texture
+    inline GLuint get_texture_id() { return halo_state->getTextureHandle(); }
 };
 
 
diff --git a/simgear/scene/sky/sky.hxx b/simgear/scene/sky/sky.hxx
index bf38e364..277b6057 100644
--- a/simgear/scene/sky/sky.hxx
+++ b/simgear/scene/sky/sky.hxx
@@ -380,6 +380,11 @@ public:
      */
     inline float *get_sun_color() { return oursun->get_color(); }
 
+    /**
+     * Get the sun halo texture handle
+     */
+    inline GLuint get_sun_texture_id() { return oursun->get_texture_id(); }
+
 
     /**
      * Add a cloud layer.