This Spectacular Atmospheric Phenomena Looks Like Something Straight Out of a Video Game

It may look like these long streaks of light high in the sky are marking the location of some legendary items, or mystery boxes, but the truth is they are the result of a rare natural occurrence. What could cause the appearance of these wondrous beams that are also the source of some UFO reports?

Extremely cold weather might not be the most pleasant environment to be in, but freezing temperatures also lead to these stunning visuals. They can only pop up when the air temperature falls below the freezing point of water (0 °C or 32 °F). For the phenomenon to occur, there also has to be a light source of some kind.

Usually, ordinary street lamps will do the trick.

So wait, these light pillars are coming from basic street lamps?

Well, technically yes, but a greater role in the occurrence of this phenomenon is played by the hexagon-shaped ice crystals that manifest in the air, when temperatures drop below 0 degrees. Usually these evaporate before reaching the ground, but in freezing temperatures, flat flickering ice crystals may form near the ground as well, similar to a form of light snow. Also, the air has to be calm and free of wind, because it can disrupt the reflection of light.

These crystals consist mostly of flat plates, which tend to orient themselves more or less horizontally as they fly through the air. Once enough of them appear, they will reflect bright light sources which are positioned below them. Like tiny mirrors, they bounce the light back down to us and creating a light pillar in the sky.

People often mistake them for UFOs at Niagara Falls, according to EarthSky.org, where higher numbers of UFO sightings are reported when during winter, the icy mist from the descending water interacts with the city lights.

Indeed, they may look a bit unusual; however, they are far from being a light from space, or of a UFO.

Not only artificial lights are capable of creating light pillars, though. Our own star, the Sun, is able to pull off its own light pillars, but in this case sun pillar is the appropriate term to use. Sun pillars occur before sunset when the sun is low enough in the western sky, or at daybreak, when it is low in the east. Also, clouds must be thin enough to allow enough light to reach our eyes to witness the pillar.

Sun pillars also appear as a beam of light, with the difference of extending from the sun.

In fact, light pillars are quite rare, since many factors have to be met in order to see them; but once the pillars are formed, they are a going to be a real visual treat to any observer.

Sources: 1, 2