Sunrise Pillar

September 06, 2003

Subpillar

Provided and copyright by: Gerald Rodgers
Summary authors & editors: Gerald Rodgers; Jim Foster

The photo above shows a Sun pillar taken just as the Sun's rising. The pillar of golden light extends approximately 10 degrees above the horizon. Sun pillars are caused by the reflection of sunlight off of ice crystals floating in the lower atmosphere. The cloud deck in the background is the source of the ice crystals.

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