The light from the lanterns is upward. Light pillars in the sky. Interesting and incredible facts from history and today

A pillar of light is an amazing optical natural phenomenon that has created many theories, fictions and beliefs around itself.

The spectacular optical phenomenon of vertical stripes of light connecting the earth and sky often appears at sunset or sunrise, in calm, cold weather, and with high humidity in the atmosphere. For a long time it was considered a manifestation of a divine sign, but scientists have dispelled the fascinating supernatural myth. It turned out that the explanation for the amazing visual effect must be sought in ordinary ice crystals. They arise in cirrostratus clouds, saturated with frozen water particles, but at low air temperatures, they appear closer to the earth's surface. The path of light among them can be lit by the Sun, Venus or the Moon, as well as more prosaic sources - street lamps, floodlights, car headlights.

How does a light column appear?

The frozen drops of water that cause this fascinating phenomenon are flat, hexagonal or columnar in shape. Light is reflected from various faces - top, bottom or end - so their relative position affects the appearance of the pillar. The play of light can even give rise to false “suns” or a parhelic circle - a noticeable areola around our star. Many reflections of rays merge in our perception into a circle above the horizon. The reason for all these phenomena is the same - the refraction of rays in frozen water crystals.

Often the source of illumination is not a large-scale celestial object such as the Sun or Moon, but a simple light bulb. Therefore, the diameter of the light pillars is similar to their size. In addition to this value, the optical phenomenon also inherits the color of the object that gave rise to it. Scientists have repeatedly noted that a low-lying light generator creates longer columns.

Ice needles are close relatives of light pillars.

The phenomenon, called ice needles, consists of shorter but more numerous streaks of light. The nature and place of their appearance are similar to the appearance of pillars - low above the ground, small ice crystals float in the frosty air, from which light is reflected. Ice needles are also considered an atmospheric phenomenon.

Surveillance Features

Light pillars can be formed around any light source: a lantern, the Moon, a glowing shop window. In northern areas and countries such as Alaska, where low temperatures cause ice crystals to form in the air, a regular street light bulb can produce a unique glow, aptly named "Forest of Light." Natural reflection from frozen drops of water and light bulbs painted in red, blue, green shades cause the appearance of fantastic multi-colored columns proudly rushing into the sky.

Interesting and incredible facts from history and today

According to ancient legend, a person who sees a pillar of light will gain untold wealth and happiness. After all, now he has been chosen, and a divine sign has appeared to him.

Some particularly skeptical observers do not see both mystical and natural root causes in the phenomenon, considering the light pillars to be the rays of ordinary searchlights.

With the advent of stories about UFOs and the blossoming of the hobby for ufology, this phenomenon was associated with the long-awaited arrival of space aliens. But if you are lucky enough to see a pillar of light, don't be alarmed! This is not an alien ship trying to pull another victim on board, but ice particles of completely natural origin reflect the light of the Moon, a lantern or car headlights.

Columns of light above the lanterns.

If on a quiet, frosty night in winter you go out into the city square, illuminated by lanterns, and if there are some favorable circumstances, which will be discussed a little later, then perhaps you will be lucky enough to witness a rare spectacular spectacle: you will see a forest of luminous pillars above the square . The light pole stands above each lantern strictly vertically and goes far up. You can walk around the lantern from all sides, the light pole will remain in its place.

M. Minnaert's book “Light and Color in Nature” briefly talks about this phenomenon. It says that it is observed in Canada and Russia and that it is caused by the reflection of light by small ice particles suspended in the air. This is still quite a long way from a detailed explanation of the mechanism of the appearance of light pillars.

There is no doubt that small snowflakes or pieces of ice in the atmosphere are involved in the creation of light pillars. Illuminated by a lantern, snowflakes and pieces of ice sparkle as if they were glowing. But why does only the pillar above the lantern glow?

By doing a simple experiment, you will be convinced that the appearance of the pillars is associated with the stereo effect. You look at the lantern, closing your right eye, and instead of a pillar you see a vertical strip of sparkling snowflakes in the air between the eye and the lantern, but slightly above it. You see the same stripe when you look with your left eye closed - snowflakes sparkle in another area, namely in the one located between the right eye and the flashlight. Now let's open both eyes: two images, two sparkling stripes merge, and you see a pillar of light. Already above the lantern. Let us emphasize once again - this is a kind of optical illusion, you see two different luminous stripes, two different volumes of air with their sparkling particles - one in front of the right eye, and the other in front of the left.

Now let's think: why are the sparkling stripes vertical and why do snowflakes sparkle only when they fall into a vertical plane passing through the eye and through the light source? Why are snowflakes not visible outside this plane?

Snowflakes are, as a rule, flat stars: in the center there is a small hexagon, from its corners grow six rays with branches parallel to the edges of the hexagon. Other branches grow from these branches, and as a result the star can take on quite complex shapes. The process of moisture crystallization proceeds from the center of the snowflake, and this allows us to understand what intermediate forms the star takes.

At the initial stage, ice particles stick to the corners of a regular hexagon and their chains from two adjacent corners grow towards each other. From such chains a new geometrically similar hexagon of a larger size grows, or, in other words, the initially emerging hexagon increases in size.

But then a moment comes when the growing chains do not have time to meet, and new chains begin to grow at the corners. And then at the corners you get microscopic flat ice Christmas trees with branches parallel to the sides of the hexagon. Further, new rods grow on the rays, and the star becomes more and more complex.

If there is little moisture in the atmosphere, the process ends at a relatively early stage and small snowflakes in the form of hexagons and the simplest stars are born in the air. As we will see later, this is one of the “certain favorable circumstances” necessary for the appearance of light pillars.

Now let's talk about how these tiny snowflakes behave when falling slowly in calm weather.

Strictly speaking, studies of falling snowflakes should be carried out in real conditions, say, using filming. But, assuming that the behavior of a snowflake is mainly determined by its shape, you can experiment with a model of relatively large sizes. The author carried out such experiments together with engineer A. A. Borodin; models of snowflakes cut out of paper were used in the experiments. The following results were obtained:

1. “Snowflakes” with two mutually perpendicular axes of symmetry autorotate. Autorotation in aerodynamics is the movement of a body accompanied by rotation due to interaction with the atmosphere.

3. The greater the elongation of the “snowflake”, or the ratio of the larger axis to the smaller one, the faster the rotation is for the same area.

4. Regular hexagons and six-pointed stars rotate around an axis connecting opposite angles and rays. This is exactly how our paper “snowflakes” were autorotated.

The first drawing shows a lantern on a pole and an observer, and it is assumed that the plane of the drawing passes through the center of the luminous part of the lantern (for example, through the center of a ball of white frosted glass) and through the eye of the observer. In the same plane there are four snowflakes - 1, 2, 3, 4. Their axes of rotation are perpendicular to the plane of the drawing, and the snowflakes themselves are shown in the form of short lines at the moment of their rotation, when the light from the lantern is reflected from the snowflake, as from a mirror , gets into the eye. The four snowflakes shown sparkle twice per revolution, or rather, a little more often or less often, since as they fall they change their location.

Dots 1, 2, 3, 4 with strokes. This is the apparent position of the light points; they create the illusion of a line of light. From the position of point 4, it can be seen that the light column may have a section below the lantern, unless it is too illuminated by the direct light of the lantern itself.

Falling and rotating, snowflakes send light flashes into the eye until they leave the vertical “eye-lantern” plane or until their axis of rotation deviates from the perpendicular to this plane.

The falling speed of a snowflake is small, but the angular speed and, therefore, the number of light bursts per second can be quite large.

The second figure schematically shows how the lantern and the left (l) and right (r) eyes of the observer are located in plan, as well as several snowflakes sending light flashes towards the observer. For clarity, the diameter of the lantern, and therefore the angles, are greatly exaggerated.

This was done in order to show more clearly: the snowflakes that the observer sees are located within certain angles. That is, the observer sees not lines, but luminous stripes, which ultimately create the illusion of light pillars. It is not difficult to understand that the number of snowflakes that are between the lantern and the eye and the shine of which is seen by the observer will be greater, the larger the angles αl and αp. You can even calculate the proportion of these visible snowflakes in the total number of snowflakes falling to the ground in the space limited by the vertical planes passing through the line, a-l and b-l (for the left eye) and c-p and d-p (for the right eyes). This share is quite large, it is approximately equal to (αl + αp): 360.

The relative number of snowflakes that are outside the angles αl and αp can also be calculated, but nevertheless, in a certain position, they direct the reflected light directly into the eyes of the observer (the position of the autorotation axis of such a snowflake is marked with number 5 in the second figure). Calculations show that outside the angles αl and αp the probability of the existence of snowflakes in this position is extremely small. That is why the observer sees bright light reflected by autorotating snowflakes only within relatively small angles αl and αp and sees light pillars.

N. Fadeev

Light

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The most interesting phenomenon in nature, which is observed quite often, is the appearance of light pillars that seem to connect heaven and earth. Many peoples took their appearance for various omens - both good and ominous.

Some declared them a manifestation of divine favor, while others declared them a threat of severe destruction, pestilence and famine. What do light pillars in the sky mean and what is the nature of their occurrence, this article will help you find out.

What is this phenomenon

Columns of light that appear in the sky are completely vertical, brightly shining columns stretching from the sun (or moon) to the earth or from it to a luminary during sunset or sunrise, that is, when the light source is located low on the horizon. You can see them above or below the sun (moon), it all depends on the location of the observer. The color of the pillar is identical to the shade of the luminary at this moment: if it is yellow, then the phenomenon is the same.

How scientists interpret

Light pillars are a very common variant of a halo - a so-called optical phenomenon that appears under certain conditions around a light source. When you first see this phenomenon, it is difficult to believe in the natural nature of its origin - the resemblance to the rays of a searchlight is so clear.

In fact, the light of the sun (or moon) interacts with the ice crystals formed in it, which reflect it. This explanation is too simple; it characterizes the mechanism of the appearance of the phenomenon, but does not clarify the conditions under which the appearance of light pillars becomes possible. Let's figure out under what circumstances this phenomenon occurs and what it means.

Light pillars: how they arise, why we see them

Most often, such optical effects appear in the cold season. This is due to the fact that for a column to appear, ice crystals must form and the sun must be low enough. At low air temperatures, many hexagonal ice crystals are formed in the atmosphere, capable of reflecting light rays. But there are frequent cases of a similar effect occurring in warmer times of the year. This can occur during the period when cirrus clouds are observed in the sky - columnar hexagonal ice crystals also form in them.

Solar or lunar rays, bursting into the atmosphere at a speed of over 300 thousand km per second, collide with ice crystals suspended in the air. It is this circumstance that is fundamental for the appearance of a halo. The play of light with these ice floes allows you to observe a stunning phenomenon that forms at an altitude of about 8 km.

In cold weather, ice crystals form much lower, and thanks to this, the light pillars (photo presented in the article) have very clear contours and are visually perceived better. The spectacle is amazing - beautiful and exciting.

Education of the phenomenon

Scientists have traced several options for the formation of the optical effect, depending on the shape of the crystals and the location of the light source. The light pillars appear like this:

If the ice crystals have a flat hexagonal shape, then when they fall they take a horizontal position, while the columnar ones fall in even standing rows. Hanging in the cold air, they act as a prism, refracting the light beam that hits them.
The reflected light forms a kind of lens, floating in the air and transmitting a powerful beam through itself.
Which crystals are involved in creating this effect (flat or columnar) depends on the location of the luminary at that moment. When positioned at an angle of 6˚ to the surface of the earth, these are flat hexagons. If the sun is at an angle of 20˚, then the light column is formed by refraction in columnar crystals.

Artificial phenomenon

So, cold and humidity are the main components in the emergence of favorable preconditions for the formation of suspended ice crystals, cut on six sides, in the Earth's atmosphere. They can refract light from various sources - both from heaven and street spotlights or car headlights. The light refracted in them gives a specific effect, which is a sharply defined bright strip perpendicular to the ground. Residents of northern cities witness a rare phenomenon, the name of which is the forest of light.

This happens because falling flat hexagonal crystals in winter do not evaporate on the way to the ground due to sub-zero temperatures, but turn into a kind of thick fog that can reflect light from ground-based sources and form light pillars very similar to natural ones. Such rays are much longer because the light source is located lower.

Difference from the Northern Lights

The nature of the occurrence of these two is different. Auroras are the product of flares when the planet's magnetic field is disturbed by "gusts" of the solar wind. It is they who, by intruding into it, make it glow in the same way as the kinescope of a television receiver does. Typically, the northern lights appear as greenish-lilac flashes over a large area of the sky.

The mechanism of formation of light rays is strikingly different, so these optical phenomena cannot be confused.

Our publication discusses the reasons for the amazing optical effect and provides an explanation of what the light pillars mean. The photos presented in the article clearly demonstrate the beauty of this rare phenomenon.

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A pillar of light (or sun) is one of the most common types of halo. This is a visual atmospheric phenomenon, an optical effect, which is a vertical strip of light stretching from the sun during sunset or sunrise. The phenomenon is caused by hexagonal flat or columnar ice crystals with almost horizontal parallel flat surfaces. Flat crystals suspended in the air cause solar pillars if the sun is 6 degrees above the horizon or behind it, columnar crystals - if the sun is 20 degrees above the horizon. Crystals tend to take a horizontal position when falling in the air, and the appearance of the light column depends on their relative position.

A pillar of light occurs when sunlight shines off the surfaces of tiny ice crystals, which are ice plates or rods with a hexagonal cross-section, suspended in the air. Such crystals form in high cirrus clouds, most often in cirrostratus. At low temperatures, such crystals can also form in lower layers of the atmosphere. Therefore, light pillars are more often observed in the cold season. When forming a light column, light comes from either the top or bottom surface of the ice plate or from the ends or faces of the ice rod.

In rare cases, the pillar of light may be accompanied by a so-called parhelic circle. It is a light stripe that is visible in the sky at the same height as the Sun. Under favorable conditions, it forms a vicious circle passing through the Sun and the false Suns.

Light pillars often form around the moon, city lights, and other bright light sources. The pillars coming from low-lying light sources are usually much longer than the solar or lunar pillars. The closer the observer is to the light column, the less the location of the crystals in space affects the appearance of the column.

According to ancient legend, a person who sees a pillar of light will gain untold wealth and happiness. After all, now he has been chosen, and a divine sign has appeared to him.

Some particularly skeptical observers do not see both mystical and natural root causes in the phenomenon, considering the light pillars to be the rays of ordinary searchlights.