The northern lights are a well known phenomenon and are enjoyed throughout the world. There is another type of light phenomenon here that I had never seen before we moved here: the light pillar.
When the temperature drops here tiny ice particles will suspend in the air. As light is projected up through those lights it will scatter and reflect some of that light in a shape of a pillar. The basic science makes sense to me but it is hard to understand why that light does not simply scatter like all other light. I suppose it is because in the cold the ice particles slow down to the point that the light cannot scatter like it usually does?
I find these light pillars amazingly beautiful and it makes the cold temperatures just a little warmer here :)
Photos were taken on my way to work. Temperatures was about -30 F.
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