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APOD
Astronomy Picture of the Day
Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer.
Light Pillars over Alaska
Explanation: What's happening behind those houses? Pictured here are not auroras but nearby light pillars , a nearby phenomenon that can appear as a distant one. In most places on Earth , a lucky viewer can see a Sun-pillar , a column of light appearing to extend up from the Sun caused by flat fluttering ice-crystals reflecting sunlight from the upper atmosphere . Usually these ice crystals evaporate before reaching the ground. During freezing temperatures, however, flat fluttering ice crystals may form near the ground in a form of light snow , sometimes known as a crystal fog. These ice crystals may then reflect ground lights in columns not unlike a Sun-pillar . The featured image was taken in Fort Wainwright near Fairbanks in central Alaska .
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| Date | February 8, 2016 |
|---|---|
| Credit | Image Credit & Copyright: Allisha Libby |
| Authors & editors: | Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP) |
| A service of: |
ASD at NASA / GSFC, NASA Science Activation & Michigan Tech. U. |