Super Rare Sunrise Shows 'Comet Dropping Out Of Sky' And Pics Are Breathtaking
People in the UK are still trying to pick their jaws off the floor after witnessing a beautiful and rare sunrise phenomenon.
Early birds from Derbyshire to Dorset and all the way across to Bristol had the opportunity to witness the gorgeous spectacle, which is technically known as a "sun pillar," on April 6.
It's basically a vertical shaft of light extending upward or downward from the sun, Metro reports.
Around 6:30 am, a police helicopter crew in Bristol was among the first to witness the sun pillar, which looks something like a comet falling from the sky.
Sun pillars are typically seen during either a sunrise or a sunset, but they can be spotted at any time of night if the timing is right.
They form when sunlight reflects off the surfaces of falling, hexagonal ice crystals, which drift through the atmosphere with a horizontal orientation, rocking from side to side as they fall, according to EarthSky.
According to Metro, the Met Office, UK's national weather service, said,
It looks like a weak sun pillar, but it's hard to say for definite.
Whatever it is, it's definitely taking our breath away.
If you don't consider yourself to be a morning person...
...perhaps this will be enough to sway you.
Sun pillars are usually between five and 10 degrees tall...
...but sometimes they can be even taller.
It's believed they'll lengthen or brighten the longer you gaze at them.
They take on the colors of the sun and clouds.
Sometimes they appear to be white...
...and other times, they're shades of yellow, red or purple.
Sun pillars are often the source of some UFO reports.
The stunning sight can also be called a light pillar...
...which is when the light source comes from the moon or even streetlights, rather than the sun.
No matter the source, there's no denying the beauty of these bad boys.
Citations: You missed an incredibly rare weather phenomenon in the UK this morning (Metro.co.uk), What is a sun pillar, or light pillar? (EarthSky), Pillars (Atmospheric Optics)
