Astronomy Picture of the Day

   [1]Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our
      fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation
                    written by a professional astronomer.

                                2026 March 23
   [2]A starry sky appears above a snowy street with a house on the right.
    The constellation of Orion is visible on the left. Up from the ground
    many pillars of light are seen. Two people stand watching the pillars
    on the street in the foreground. Please see the explanation for more
                            detailed information.

                      Light Pillars and Orion over Mohe
               Image Credit & Copyright: [3]Jeff Dai ([4]TWAN)

   Explanation: What's happening at the end of that street? Pictured here
   are not [5]auroras but [6]light pillars, a phenomenon typically much
   closer. In most places on [7]Earth, a lucky viewer can see a [8]Sun
   pillar, a column of light appearing to extend up from the [9]Sun caused
   by flat fluttering [10]ice-crystals reflecting sunlight from the
   [11]upper atmosphere. Usually, these ice [12]crystals evaporate before
   reaching the ground. During [13]freezing temperatures, however,
   [14]flat fluttering [15]ice crystals may form near the ground and are
   sometimes known as a [16]crystal fog. These small [17]ice crystals may
   then reflect not the Sun but [18]ground lights. The featured image
   captured not only [19]numerous light pillars but also the iconic
   [20]constellation of Orion, and was taken in [21]Mohe, the northernmost
   city in [22]China.

                       Tomorrow's picture: lumpy Earth
     __________________________________________________________________

      [23]< | [24]Archive | [25]Submissions | [26]Index | [27]Search |
   [28]Calendar | [29]RSS | [30]Education | [31]About APOD | [32]Discuss |
                                    [33]>
     __________________________________________________________________

    Authors & editors: [34]Robert Nemiroff ([35]MTU) & [36]Jerry Bonnell
                                 ([37]UMCP)
          NASA Official: Amber Straughn [38]Specific rights apply.
            [39]NASA Web Privacy, [40]Accessibility, [41]Notices;
                A service of: [42]ASD at [43]NASA / [44]GSFC,
                         [45]NASA Science Activation
                           & [46]Michigan Tech. U.

References

   1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
   2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2603/LightPillarsMohe_Dai_2000.jpg
   3. http://www.twanight.org/Dai
   4. http://www.twanight.org/
   5. https://science.nasa.gov/sun/auroras/
   6. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Light_pillar
   7. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap260422.html
   8. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap010313.html
   9. https://science.nasa.gov/sun/
  10. https://atoptics.co.uk/blog/real-crystals/
  11. https://www.nasa.gov/image-article/earths-upper-atmosphere/
  12. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crystal
  13. https://www.reddit.com/r/aww/comments/726otg/my_cat_likes_being_bundled_up/#lightbox
  14. https://imgur.com/cat-is-rectangle-ELtLVZy
  15. https://www.lwpetersen.com/atmospheric-optics/light-pillars/
  16. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap231220.html
  17. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ice_crystal
  18. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap060305.html
  19. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap160208.html
  20. https://science.nasa.gov/universe/discovering-the-universe-through-the-constellation-orion/
  21. https://www.youtube.com/shorts/gwa4n5zwnZs
  22. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/China
  23. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap260322.html
  24. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
  25. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html
  26. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html
  27. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search
  28. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html
  29. https://apod.com/feed.rss
  30. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html
  31. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html
  32. https://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=260323
  33. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap260324.html
  34. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html
  35. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/
  36. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html
  37. http://www.astro.umd.edu/
  38. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
  39. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html
  40. https://www.nasa.gov/general/accessibility/
  41. https://www.nasa.gov/privacy/
  42. https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/
  43. https://www.nasa.gov/
  44. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/
  45. https://science.nasa.gov/learners
  46. http://www.mtu.edu/