'Pillars of light' falling from sky stun locals in Sweden. They are not aurora

New Delhi,UPDATED: Jan 8, 2024 12:27 IST

Residents of Stockholm experienced a rare and enchanting phenomenon last weekend as the city was gripped by an intense cold wave. The mercury plummeted nearly 30 degrees below freezing, but the frigid temperatures brought with them an unexpected visual spectacle: a stunning display of light pillars that illuminated the night sky.

Photographer Peter Rosen captured the breathtaking scene from downtown Stockholm.

"With the extreme cold, ice crystals filled the air," he explained. "This created a magnificent display of light pillars that looked almost like Northern Lights."

Unlike the auroras, which are natural displays caused by solar winds interacting with the Earth's magnetic field, these light pillars are a purely terrestrial show.

What are the light pillars?

Light pillars occur when manmade lights are refracted by ice crystals, typically found in the air during cold weather. These crystals act like prisms, spreading the artificial light into vertical columns that can appear to be emanating from the ground or suspended in the air.

No solar activity is necessary for this phenomenon; the only requirements are the presence of ice in the atmosphere and light pollution from the ground.

The vibrant red lights seen in Rosen's photographs are not warning signals from the cosmos but rather aircraft warning beacons perched atop the city's tall buildings and construction cranes.

Other hues in the display correspond to different types of artificial lighting: the warm orange glow comes from high-pressure sodium lamps, while the crisp blue-white tones are the signature of modern LED lamps.

This celestial mimicry provided a moment of wonder for the citizens of Stockholm, who braved the bone-chilling cold to witness the ethereal light pillars. It's a phenomenon that can occur when natural elements and human influences converge in just the right way.