Most people would rather be indoors, where it is warm and bright, as the temperature drops and the night progresses. Yet if you raise your eyes to the heavens, you might witness a miraculous sight.
On a chilly evening, if you are fortunate enough to observe what appear to be columns of light extending into the night sky, you should capture the moment on film. You have witnessed a luminous pillar.
It’s easy to mistake this seemingly magical atmospheric occurrence for something otherworldly, but in reality, it’s rather ordinary.
Fire rainbows, which can emerge from nowhere, are a glimmering reminder that nature is full of wonder and mystery. They remind us that we are incredibly fortunate to be a part of this incredible natural environment.
Above brightly lit regions like cities, light pillars can sometimes be observed when the temperature is near freezing, and ice crystals can develop in the atmosphere. These phenomena can also occur with natural light sources like the sun and moon.
Here are some examples of light pillars that have appeared in different parts of the world; the next time you’re out at night, keep your eyes peeled for these stunning structures.
If you didn’t know any better, you might conclude that this event had a supernatural origin.
Despite this fact, its magnificent beauty remains undiminished. Light pillars are even more incredible for being explained in such a straightforward way.
Hexagonal ice crystals in the air cause light pillars to appear. They provide the appearance of a column when lit from below and viewed from the correct angle.
City lights, highway lights, and other artificial illumination sources are reflected and launched into the atmosphere. Yet, the reflections persist only briefly because the ice crystals constantly move.
Light pillars can occur everywhere it becomes cold enough to freeze, while auroras are only seen in the far north and south and have to do with charged particles impacted by solar winds.
People worldwide have reported seeing what appear to be pillars of light that change color based on the wavelength of the originating light. The light columns here are consistent in hue with the neighborhood’s streetlights.
They are visible and eye-catching in the correct lighting and environment. It’s striking to see these columns of orange and blue light. It’s incredible how a little water floating in the air can create such a beautiful effect, just like a rainbow.
Sometimes the pillars look more subtle, such in this Laramie, Wyoming, area, where there is a lot of natural light.
Like rainbows, they are fleeting and can only be viewed from a specific vantage point. The pillars disappear as the ice crystals shift and spread.
Sometimes, you can even use them like a map to locate nearby lights. The graphic demonstrates the direction of light in Stockholm. And up here, you can see how the city lights reflect in the night sky.
Do you know what a light pillar looks like? Send us a photo if you have one, and let us know.
Even if you hate the cold, you should still tell your friends about this incredible event because it couldn’t exist without it.
According to, Aubtu
(Photos right to the original owner)
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