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.

A man poses standing on a rock looking at the aurora borealis, or northern lights, illuminating the night sky at Embleton Bay in Northumberland, England, on February 27, 2014. The northern lights is a fantastical natural light display with fast moving light effects caused by particles charged by the sun colliding with particles in Earth's upper atmosphere. (Photo by Tom White/PA Wire)

Palestinians walk on a road during a power cut in Beit Lahiya in the northern Gaza Strip January 11, 2017. (Photo by Mohammed Salem/Reuters)

Picture made available by “All About Lapland” on March 24, 2023 and taken on on late March 23, 2023 shows colourful northern lights (Aurora borealis) appearing around the Arctic Circle near Rovaniemi, Finland. The northern lights appeared right after dawn, and they continued all the way through the night. (Photo by Alexander Kuznetsov/All About Lapland/AFP Photo)

A tourist takes photos of an Aurora Borealis display (Northern Lights) over the Bals-Fiord north of the Arctic Circle, near the village of Mestervik late September 30, 2014. (Photo by Yannis Behrakis/Reuters)

St Mary's Cathedral is illuminated as part of a Christmas lights display in celebration of Christmas on December 19, 2014 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Brendon Thorne/Getty Images)

In this photo taken Wednesday, March 8, 2017, a hospitality staff member pose for photos near the shadow of a tall light pole near the Great Hall of the People where a plenary session of the National People's Congress is held in Beijing, China. (Photo by Ng Han Guan/AP Photo)

Light sculptures glow in the dark at the zoo in Cologne, Germany, 04 December 2019. The artworks are on display at the zoo as part of the China Light Festival that runs until 09 January 2020 and features more than 70 light installations on the zoo grounds. (Photo by Sascha Steinbach/EPA/EFE)