A "fiery trident" appeared in the sky over China

On December 19, residents of Hailar, in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region in northern China, could observe a unique sight in the sky in the form of a "fiery trident" emanating from a street lamp.

Such an unusual effect is called a light column. It is a strip of light stretching from the Sun or from artificial light sources during frosty weather.

However, this time the pillars in China turned out to be special. They not only represented vertical rays going into the sky, but also diverged in arcs on the sides, forming an unusual shape.

A phenomenal phenomenon can be observed thanks to the play of ice crystals and light. Crystals, as a rule, are formed in cirrus clouds located at an altitude of more than 8 thousand km above sea level. In extreme cold, the formation of crystals can occur lower, which simplifies the process of observing light pillars. It should also be noted that in winter they have clearer outlines.