Pillar Over Paiko Mountain
July 10, 2013
Photographer: Constantinos Theodoridis; Constantinos's Web site
Summary Authors: Constantinos Theodoridis; Jim Foster
An attention-getting golden Sun pillar is shown above at sunset over Paiko Mountain in central Macedonia, Greece. This is an appropriate place for a pillar to adorn since at the foot of the mountain, in what was once Pella, the ancient capital of Macedonia, are the palaces of King Philip II and his son Alexander the Great. Pillars are formed by sunlight reflecting off hexagonal ice crystals that compose cirrus clouds. The crystals are similarly oriented and tipped in the direction of the observer. Because this is a reflection and not a refraction phenomenon, pillars aren't as brightly colored as halos and arcs. Photo taken on May 28, 2006.
Photo details: Olympus u-miniD camera; 1/200 sec. exposure; f 4.5; 9.77mm lens.