                        Astronomy Picture of the Day

    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
    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: Jeff Dai (TWAN)

   Explanation: What's happening at the end of that street? Pictured here
   are not auroras but 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 and are sometimes known as a crystal fog. These small
   ice crystals may then reflect not the Sun but ground lights. The
   featured image captured not only numerous light pillars but also the
   iconic constellation of Orion, and was taken in Mohe, the northernmost
   city in China.

                       Tomorrow's picture: lumpy Earth
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       Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)
            NASA Official: Amber Straughn Specific rights apply.
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                           NASA Science Activation
                             & Michigan Tech. U.

