Light column (light effect)
The light column is a light effect in the atmosphere and belongs to the halo phenomena . Starting from the sun , a linear, stretched, narrow strip of light extends vertically upwards - and more rarely downwards. Columns of light can usually be observed when the sun is close above or below the horizon .
Pillars of light are created by the reflection of the sunlight on hexagonal ice platelets, which slowly sink when there is almost no wind and preferably align themselves horizontally in the air . They can therefore only be observed when the weather conditions are correspondingly low in wind . In contrast to the related halo phenomena below and above the sun and the fact that the hexagonal ice platelets have changing tilt angles in their horizontal orientation, a pillar of light becomes visible on a gently moving surface of water, similar to a glittering path of the sun. In very rare cases and with very constant and low air movement, slightly curved light columns are also possible.
literature
- Michael Vollmer: Lichtspiele der Luft , Spektrum Akademischer Verlag, 2006
