Everybody’s Talking About These Stunning Ice Lights – Here’s How They’re Made

Sometimes nature is LOT weirder than fiction. Take these beautiful light pillars that were seen this week for the first time in years. The rare phenomenon, that is not related to the Northern Lights, was captured by Timmy Joe Elzinga in Canada a few days ago. And the stunning photographs have gone viral. So what are they? These beams of light happen in freezing temperatures when ice crystals form lower in the atmosphere than they usually would. It forms an effect like a giant mirror reflecting light sources such as car and city lights and creates the illusion of a pillar. Northern Lights are caused when electrically charged particles from space exit atoms in the upper atmosphere of the Earth which result in a spectacular display of lights we are all familiar with. We think these ice lights are truly a sight to behold. Now, all we have to figure out is how to recreate them for our next garden party. (Images via Timmy Joe Elzinga)