A light pillar is a visual phenomenon created by the reflection of light from ice crystals with near horizontal parallel planar surfaces. The light can come from the Sun (usually at or low to the horizon) in which case the phenomenon is called a sun pillar or solar pillar. It can also come from the Moon or from terrestrial sources such as streetlights.

Giant panda Ji Lan enjoys an iced birthday cake at Nanning Zoo on June 27, 2022 in Nanning, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region of China. Giant panda Ji Lan and her brother Ji Mei celebrated their sixth birthday on Monday in Nanning. (Photo by Yu Jing/China News Service via Getty Images)

A woman poses for a photo in front of the Wagner Group military vehicle on June 24, 2023 in Rostov-on-Don, Russia. (Photo by Feodor Larin/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

A protester squirts a water gun at Catalan regional police in full riot gear during a protest over the eviction of squatters earlier in the week from “The Expropriated Bank”, in Barcelona, Spain, May 29, 2016. (Photo by Albert Gea/Reuters)

Accused Nazi criminal John Demjanjuk wears sunglasses as he arrives for his trial at a court room prior to the assumed verdict on May 12, 2011 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Johannes Simon/Getty Images)

A window cleaner passes a lighter to his colleague while rappelling from a new building in Tianjin March 23, 2007. (Photo by Reuters/Stringer)

Women in lingerie touching each other. (Photo by BDLM/Getty Images)

CANNES, FRANCE - NOVEMBER 03: Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi leaves the conference centre after the first day of the G20 Summit on November 3, 2011 in Cannes, France. World's top economic leaders are attending the G20 summit in Cannes on November 3rd and 4th, and are expected to debate current issues surrounding the global financial system in the hope of fending off a global recession and finding an answer to the Eurozone crisis. (Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)