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People In Zelienople See 'Light Pillars' In The Night Sky

By: KDKA-TV News Staff

ZELIENOPLE (KDKA) -- Photos a viewer sent to us showed amazing multi-colored lights appear across the sky in Zelienople.

light pillars zelienople
(Photo Courtesy Andrew Barclay/Zelienople)

But what causes something like this to happen?

The answer is very simple.

These light pillars occur in very cold temperatures, like what we saw yesterday morning.

Small ice crystals are suspended in very cold air.

Lights on the surface are reflected upward by the ice crystals, which create the pillar.

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