A Sun Pillar over Norway

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- sun-pillar effect. In the featured picture taken last week, a sun-pillar reflects light from a Sun setting over Fensf jorden , Norway .