Unusual winter phenomenon: Light pillars captured over Poland

A rare phenomenon formed amidst frosty nights in Poland in recent days: light pillars.

The magical ice pillars occurred as a wave of icy, Arctic air crossed over Poland. They can only occur in extreme cold conditions and are an optical phenomenon caused when light is refracted by ice crystals.

The rods of light can reach impressive heights, as a result of the plate-shaped crystals suspended in the air close to the ground.

The pillars appear to beam directly upwards from unshielded artificial lights, but are not physically located directly above them. They can also have different colours, due to the splitting of white light.

In Poland, this phenomenon is occurring less and less frequently as the climate continues to warm. In the past, it could be observed much more frequently throughout winter. Nowadays, it is at most just for a few winter nights.