KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Did you spot beams of light streaming down from the sky early Tuesday morning? Don’t worry—what you saw was real, not a sign of failing eyesight or an alien invasion.
These spectacular light pillars, while they might look like special effects from a science fiction movie, are actually a natural phenomenon that occurs worldwide. The National Weather Service explains that they’re created when light reflects off tiny ice crystals suspended in the atmosphere—in this case, leftover from our recent winter storm.
Light pillars are optical phenomena caused by reflections of light from tiny ice crystals suspended in the lower part of the atmosphere. They belong to the family of halos and are usually formed by flat ice plates that reflect light and serve as mirrors.
The more crystals there are vertically, the longer/taller the pillar is. Bitterly cold air is sufficient to support the formation of ice crystals this low to the ground; however, snow cover is not necessary for these.
It is not known when these fascinating light pillars will appear again. But if they do, make sure to snap a picture, because it is a real treat!