light pillar
Sign in to saveAlso known as sun pillar, solar pillar
atmospheric optical phenomenon in the form of a vertical band of light which appears to extend above and/or below a light source
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Light pillars in London, Ontario, Canada Sun pillar in San Francisco, California A light pillar or ice pillar is an atmospheric optical phenomenon in which a vertical beam of light appears to extend above and/or below a light source. The effect is created by the reflection of light from tiny ice crystals that are suspended in the atmosphere or that compose high-altitude clouds (e.g. cirrostratus or cirrus clouds). If the light comes from the Sun (usually when it is near or even below the horizon), the phenomenon is called a sun pillar or solar pillar. Light pillars can also be caused by the Moon or terrestrial sources, such as streetlights and erupting volcanoes.
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