内蒙古上空的光柱

2024年3月4日

Light Pillars Over Inner Mongolia
Image Credit & Copyright: N. D. Liao

Explanation: What’s happening across that field? Pictured here are not auroras but nearby light pillars, a phenomenon typically much closer. In most places on Earth, a lucky viewer can see a Sun pillar, a column of light appearing to extend up from the Sun caused by flat fluttering ice-crystals reflecting sunlight from the upper atmosphere. Usually, these ice crystals evaporate before reaching the ground. During freezing temperatures, however, flat fluttering ice crystals may form near the ground in a form of light snow sometimes known as a crystal fog. These ice crystals may then reflect ground lights in columns not unlike a Sun pillar. The featured image was taken last month across the Wulan Butong Grasslands in Inner Mongolia, China.

Tomorrow’s picture: star painters

内蒙古上空的光柱
影像提供与版权: N. D. Liao

说明: 这片原野后方发生了什么事？上图所呈现的并非极光而是光柱，是一种通常很邻近的现象。在地球上的大部份地区，有眼福的人会见到看似从太阳伸出的太阳光柱，由高层大气飘落的片状冰晶反射阳光时所产生的现象。这种冰晶在飘落到地面之前，通常会蒸发殆尽。而在寒冷结冰的日子，片状冰晶可形成于离地面不远的上空，然后以小雪的形式缓缓飘落，成为俗称的冰晶雾。此时，这种冰晶也会反射地面灯光，造就与太阳光柱类似的光柱。这幅主题影像，是在上个月摄于中国内蒙古的乌兰布统景区。

明日的图片: star painters