Astronomy Picture of the Day
    


A Sun Pillar Over North Carolina
<< Yesterday 15.12.2008 Tomorrow >>
A Sun Pillar Over North Carolina
Credit & Copyright: Terry Holdsclaw
Explanation: Have you ever seen a sun pillar? When the air is cold and the Sun is rising or setting, falling ice crystals can reflect sunlight and create an unusual column of light. Ice sometimes forms flat, six-sided shaped crystals as it falls from high-level clouds. Air resistance causes these crystals to lie nearly flat much of the time as they flutter to the ground. Sunlight reflects off crystals that are properly aligned, creating the sun-pillar effect. In the above picture taken in 2007 January, a sun-pillar reflects light from a Sun setting over Lake Norman, North Carolina, USA.

Note : APOD Editor to Speak in New York on Jan. 2

January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
 < December 2008  >
Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa Su
1234567
891011121314
15161718192021
22232425262728
293031



Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (USRA)
NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings, and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris. Specific rights apply.
A service of: LHEA at NASA / GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.

Based on Astronomy Picture Of the Day

Publications with keywords: Sun Pillar
Publications with words: Sun Pillar
See also:
All publications on this topic >>