Tuesday, January 8, 2019

Beautiful And Strange "Light Pillars"...!

So often the night sky offers us a free and totally spectacular show, just because Mother Nature feels that we need it. These Light Pillars are just one example of what I mean.

Light Pillars



Photo credit: Christoph Geisler

 Light pillars are an extremely elegant phenomenon where vertical bands of light appear from a light source. This effect is caused by the interaction of light with ice crystals that are in the atmosphere or are suspended in the clouds. The prominence of the light pillars has a direct relationship with how large the crystals in the atmosphere are. In other words, the larger the crystal, the more pronounced the light beams become. Common sources of light are the Sun, the Moon, and streetlights. These dazzling spectacles have been known to appear during sunrises, sunsets, and at night in places like Northern Ontario, Alaska, and even Arizona.

 Pillars caused by artificial sources like street lights are often taller than light pillars caused by natural sources like the Sun, which creates a phenomenon known as sun pillars or solar pillars, and the Moon. The pillars you see aren’t actually over the lights as they appear to be but are optical illusions like halos.

I found this article over at Listverse, in case you are interested. You ought to check them out.

Coffee out on the patio this morning. The temps are supposed to be around 77...that's great!

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6 comments:

  1. MamahenJanuary 8, 2019 at 5:33 AM

    I never get tired of looking at the night sky...52° here this a.m. but the temps are supposed to drop dramatically overnight. Patio sounds good...I'll bring coffee cake to share:))

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  2. linda mJanuary 8, 2019 at 6:26 AM

    Those are so cool! Wish i could see them. Unfortunately living in the city I am lucky to even see the stars - way too much light pollution. Where I live. Cold and windy here again today with possible snow. Yesterday we had a ton of rain. I stop at Dunkin Donut on my way to your patio and pick up some donuts to share.

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  3. MomladyJanuary 8, 2019 at 6:59 AM

    Pretty.

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  4. JOJanuary 8, 2019 at 9:03 AM

    I want to see these would love to try and photograph them, I better go and check out more on this.

    Hopefully it will be in the 70's here today I have lots of weeds to spray. But first some coffee time on the patio

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  5. Dizzy-DickJanuary 8, 2019 at 10:24 AM

    It would be awesome to see them. Nature can sure paint pretty pictures.

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  6. Andolphus GreyJanuary 8, 2019 at 7:20 PM

    Up here in the cold north we get some amazing effects from ice crystals in the air. Pretty neat.

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