Optical Phenomena

Sun Pillar
sunpilr1.jpg (31511 bytes)
Mt. Wilson Observatory. Copyright ©2000 C. Gino
A sun pillar is a vertical column of light, usually appearing above the rising or setting sun. This occurs when light is reflected by horizontally oriented ice crystals in high-level cirroform clouds or ice-fog near the earth's surface.
sunpilr2.jpg (13978 bytes)
Socorro, New Mexico. Copyright ©2000 C. Gino

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Union College, New York. Copyright ©2002 C. Gino

sunpilr5.jpg (31761 bytes)
Albany, New York. Copyright ©2004 C. Gino

Below is a sun pillar appearing below the setting sun.

sunpilr3.jpg (30614 bytes)Very Large Array, New Mexico. Copyright ©2000 C. Gino
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Last updated 02/07/04 Copyright © 2000 C. Gino.