Rare pillar lights appear in Alberta skies
Sunday, February 10, 2019, 4:44 PM - Alberta's freezing temperatures have been the dominant weather story for the region this winter, but a rare occurrence inspired some to venture outdoors in
temperatures below minus 40oC to see this stunning atmospheric phenomenon.
On February 10, 2019 Dan Tanner posted this image of the rare pillar lights to Twitter, which show the special early morning light show in Blackfalds, Alberta.
These vertical beams are an optical illusion that appear when tiny ice crystals are suspended in the air near the ground and reflect light, such as sunlight, moonlight, or streetlights.
The flat edges of the small crystals acts as mirrors to reflect the light, and the resulting beams are the collective reflections, and are more pronounced when the ice crystals are larger in size.