A solar eclipse has been recorded at noon local time on February 11th, 1804 and this is the usual explanation of these lines.

The meteorolgist Radošević gives another opinion, going into all the detail of the passage:

February 13th, 1804, a probable temperature inversion could have caused a distortion, 'twitching' of the Sun's image on sunrise. Additionaly, a Bishop's Ring 'catching' the Sun has possibly been seen three times during the same day. Read more here.