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Originally posted by goosdawg
Could they be "light pillars?"
Light reflecting off of very fine, nearly invisible, ice crystals suspended in the atmosphere.
Excellent explanation of the effect here:
Atmospheric Optics | Light pillars
[edit on 3-1-2008 by goosdawg]
Originally posted by Umbra Sideralis
reply to post by jritzmann
Humm..Have you seen my last post?
Originally posted by DisabledVet
LIGHT PILLARS
A light pillar is a visual phenomenon created by the reflection of light from ice crystals with near horizontal parallel planar surfaces. The light can come from the sun (usually at or low to the horizon) in which case the phenomenon is called a sun pillar or solar pillar. It can also come from the moon or from terrestrial sources such as streetlights.
Unlike the crystals producing sun pillars, those making tall artificial light pillars need not be strongly tilted. The column producing pillars are approximately midway between the eye and the light source. The higher the crystals in the atmosphere, the taller is the pillar. When the crystals are very high - or the light sources are close - the pillars seem to radiate from overhead, the zenith.