Sun Pillar

A sun pillar is a vertical shaft of light that can extend upwards from the sun or downwards, usually seen at sunset or sunrise.

A Moab Sunset

Sun pillars form when sunlight reflects off the surfaces of falling ice crystals associated with thin, high-level clouds (like cirrostratus clouds). The hexagonal plate-like ice crystals fall with a horizontal orientation, gently rocking from side to side as they fall. When the sun is low on the horizon, an area of brightness appears in the sky above (or below) the sun as sunlight is reflected off the surfaces of these tipped ice crystals. Thank you, University of Illinois!

18 comments:

Purnima said...

Manisha, the info is new to me, tks to u! MoAb or Moab, what does it mean with reference to this pic?(Monoclonal antibody or a part/creation of the sun?)

Indian Food Rocks said...

Purnima, I am still trying to untwist my tongue. Monoclonal antibody?! Yikes. Kya tum microbiologist ho?

By Moab, I mean the mecca of outdoor activity in Utah. Here's a brief photo essay on Moab and nearby attractions.

Purnima said...

Oh..okay! Tks for such a prompt reply! C how powerful that small post from you was!!
BTW even Moab was a new word for me, googled n got that! MICROBIOLOGIST?? !! U hold all the possible info stumping me every single time, hv to increase my memory power to remember what u teach ..Lady Dronacharya!
Humbly yours-- Lady Eklavya.

Nirmala said...

I was checking from morning...and was thinking what is she doing for today's post. The photo looks good. And Manisha write some more na...it such a small post and I won't count them for NoBloPriMo :)

Nirmala said...

oh misspelt! NoBloWriMo :)

sunita said...

I love sunsets and yours is such a gorgeous picture( not going too much into the technicalities ;-))

Anita said...

She keeps them short and calls them "more than a recipe'... and that is *not* enough for us, I say!

Priya said...

yes Anita, We must not tolerate this anymore. I supported her in the non-click posts from B&J, but hey she needs to get a recipe post! A few gorgeous photos will not fool us! dharna karna padega, now where is Pel...

Priyanka said...

that is such a beautiful pic Manisha....breathtaking and calming:)

Indian Food Rocks said...

Nirmala, you are so sweet, unlike the two who arrived after Sunita. Not only am I incredibly busy this week, I have work going on in the house and I am helping out at the Book Fair at Medha's school. Add Parent Teacher conferences to the mix for today. Not to mention the cold, made even more intense by lack of doors during the day. Brrr! I wish I had time to write words but you know what they say: a picture paints a thousand words!

Sunita, thanks! It was a gorgeous sight! It was the first sun pillar I have ever seen. I had only heard of them before.

Priyanka, thank you! I took this on my first visit to Arches National Park near Moab, Utah. It set the mood for the rest of the trip.

anudivya said...

How interesting. The pic looks beautiful...

musical said...

Beautiful!

A Cook @ Heart said...

Absolutely gorgeous!! I hope one day I can see this for real!

Cynthia said...

That is beautiful and thanks for the education.

Pelicano said...

Is that it?!

Priya said...

yes, thats it Pel, and sniff sniff she hic ignored my comment, did not hic reply directly sob :((

Anita said...

Mine too, Priya. I noted.

Rachna said...

such a pretty photo yaar really