Rare optical illusion caught on film - Sun Pillar AND reflection of setting sun in clouds above.

Hmmm, I Summer on the east coast of Lake Michigan. From the cottage up on the bluff a mile south of the Grand Haven pier I see this type of sunset quite regularly. I didn't know it was a rare phenomenon. Great pics though. Thanks for posting them. Doc

reply to post by westcoast


I saw this same effect in Carlisle, Pennsylvania in December! It was awesome.

Nice Sun Pillar capture. I saw one a few years back in New Mexico. I thought I was looking at an alien sunset. Middle of summer, and this beam of light shows up on the horizon. I have not see one since.

Here a couple photos of it. Thankfully I was already out photographing the under lit clouds when i noticed it.

this is of the same sunset of the OP but from Vancouver Canada

I bet anyone 10 grand there is now or willbe alot of those end of the world muppets saying that it is nirbu or whatever its called

if it is rare, would National Geographic be interested in your pics? the pics are really interesting,let us know if the weather people were interested in them.

Thank you for all the replies. I LOVE the pictures! Beautiful!

As to National Geographic....well, i could try to send it to them, but I know they literally get thousands of pics all the time and I think it would be very hard to get noticed. They have professional level stuff coming across their desk on a regular basis.

I wrote a on-line message to King 5 and I got a stupid response saying...yup. It's a sun pillar. DUH. I know that. They didn't seem at all interested. Oh well.

Perhaps it really isn't that rare....but I still haven't found any other pics like it...with the reflection at the top. I don't care though. It has been fun being able to share it and if anyone else has enjoyed it, than it was worth the time.

I went back out last night just in case...and ofcourse, no sun pillar. there WAS however some extremely cool cloud formations. I'll share couple of those pics. Not sure of the name for these types...maybe someone else does?

This is supposed to be rare?

dang, i see this all the time out my backyard. I guess its all about location.

reply to post by westcoast

Lenticular clouds.
Forming of the Olympics perhaps?

reply to post by Phage


You know, the end of the 'wisp' really looked like a lenticular cloud....and yes, the olympics are in the general direction but quite a ways to the south. It's obvious there were some currents going up there, so maybe there was a wierd interaction with the Olympics that caused those clouds to form so far away? Never seen them out there like that before.

As to the rareness of the original pics: I know sun pillars are not considered rare, I am referring to what seems to be the sun reflected in the clouds above it at the same time. It may not be rare after-all, but I still have yet to see another picture confirmation of it occuring elsewhere. (doesn't mean it hasn't, just that I haven't seen it! )

reply to post by westcoast

Lenticular clouds can be created by what are referred to as lee waves. These are waves in the atmosphere which occur in the lee (downwind) of the mountain which produces them. Like the waves which form downstream of a boulder in a river, they can occur (and repeat) at fairly long distances from their source. Quite amazing and they can make for great soaring conditions.

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Originally posted by VonDoomen
This is supposed to be rare?

dang, i see this all the time out my backyard. I guess it's all about location.

They may be rare in his part of the country. Perhaps you live where there are more ice crystals or moister in the air. In my case it was the middle of the summer, so kind of rare for myarea. Where i live, i see sundogs about 2-3 times a month, but in other places maybe the phenomenon only shows up once in a blue moon. So yeah, location location location.

-N

Okay...one more pic to share with you.

No sun pillar (again) but a super cool moon.

reply to post by westcoast


It's Elenin
No wait, It's Nibiru
NO NO it's insert ______ the world is over

reply to post by Nemo418


Yes i believe it is. And I do live fairly far north and in one of the most moist (non-tropical) locations.

And not to mention, regardless, I always have an awesome open view from the backyard.

But yea I see the pillars quite frequently, the second son not as frequently, but a decent amount.

reply to post by westcoast




GREAT THANKS.

Added to my webshots.com screensaver.

I hope you are ready for quakes etc. I lived in Spokane about 10 years. Your corner of the State is beautiful . . . though greatly full of hazards.

I suppose Butchard gardens is as beautiful as ever, too.