Light Pillars

[Marsha Smithhisler]

I’ve seen sun pillars, moon pillars, and a few short light pillars, but never anything like this. Hope someone enjoys this video and the casual science lesson provided:  http://www.seeker.com/alien-glow-brilliant-light-pillars-appear-over-ontario-2191543311.html

[Gill Pountain]

Stunning! I hadn’t heard of this phenomenon before.

[Laurence Green]

Supplementing the above comments could I add the following about this unusual phenomenon about Light Pillars?

Here they are:- (both from the NASA APOD website with explanation brief and concise)

Light Pillars, Latvia:- https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap141228.html

Light Pillars:-  Ice Rink, Fairbanks, Alaska – https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap060305.html

Laurence

 

[Marsha Smithhisler]

Thank you, Laurence, for those links. It’s interesting how the pillars fan out at the tops in the one picture, but nobody knows the reason (so far).

[Laurence Green]

Thanks, Noctilucy, for the kind comment.  Much appreciated.  Where I can I like to share cloud information with the CAS membership.  The photo of cloud pillars is really amazing and entrancing, to say least.  What it must have been to actually see it real time!

I much like your posting “name”, Noctilucy.

Laurence

 

[Laurence Green]

Hi again, Noctilucy

An addendum, if I may, to my reply to you yesterday.

I would highly recommend to you (and other CAS members) the NASA “Astronomy Picture Of the Day (APOD) to you.

It is free to view, no subscription, no annoying registration or sign up etc and certainly no annoying “pop-up” adverts.

Every single day a new photo appears.  Obviously, it deals with astronomy matters but it very often covers Earth bound clouds.  Remarkable photos appear on its website.  Here is just one example – the marvellous Mamatus cloud which feature upon the CAS Photo Gallery quite often:-

https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap130828.html

I hope that which provided here offers you enjoyment and marvel at our wonderful clouds.

Best wishes.

Laurence

 

 

 

[Howard Brown]

Nice thread.

I would like to add two points from (A) here. The NASA APOD links discuss them but don’t necessarily come to the same conclusion.
1. ‘But mamma tend to form at the rear, rather than the front of storms. Once you see mamma formations above you, the storm has usually passed over, or missed you entirely’.
2. ‘Each lobe of mamma is typically one to two miles across, and appears for around ten minutes. There are several theories about why they form, but an extensive 2006 scientific review of all the studies to date concluded that no one’s really sure’.
(A) The Cloud Collector’s Handbook, Gavin Pretor-Pinney, 2009, page 49

[Marsha Smithhisler]

Thank you, Laurence!

[Hans Stocker]

Found on atoptics.co.uk: here is the explanation why the light pillars fan out:

Tangent arc light pillars

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