By Yesterday morning I drove to the gas station for my papers. It was 6:15 AM and the temperatures was 10 below. I was surprised to see what looked like a dozen searchlights pointing straight up. They seemed to be in the little village of Cascade, and it was still a mile away. Then a car came from the opposite direction, and I saw that its headlights not only shone forward; they also shone straight up! So did the street lights. So did the porch lights.
'I'd really like a picture of this,' I thought, then remembered that I now carry a camera in my satchel. It has a nighttime setting, which helps, but just doesn't do justice to what I saw. I was seeing 'light pillars'. They very infrequently appear when the temperature is cruelly low, and when the air is still. Suspended ice crystals (look closely at the light pillar in the first picture, and you will see the ice crystals) refract the light upwards. I don't know why just upwards.
The light that seems to be coming from the middle of this building is just an ordinary lightpost behind the building, throwing up a light pillar.
Here is a picture of light pictures from Latvia: http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap090112.html
I went into the gas station and excitedly told the young man about the rare phenomenon that was going on all around him.
To his credit, he tried to look interested.
We saw some of these driving home last night from my brother's house. Neat thing to see!
Strange..... We are interested Don.....
Looks spooky!
Wow, that is really incredible. I've never heard of such a thing. Coming from Los Angeles, I would have assumed upon seeing this that someone had paid too much for very small spotlights to showcase some sale.
It is sad how unaware I am of things outside my immediate vicinity. Thank you for sharing this unique sight.