Stargazers in Wotton-under-Edge were treated to an incredible spectacle on the night of the April 17th, as beams of white light lit up the sky. Whilst many mistook this beautiful wonder as the Aurora Borealis, it was in fact something much more rare.
These beautiful beams are known as ‘light pillars’ – an atmospheric optical phenomenon caused by the refraction of light in tiny ice crystals falling towards the earth. As these shards fall, terrestrial lights (most likely from Bristol’s skyline) are caught in the hexagonal crystals, creating a wondrous effect.
This stunning display is much less common than the Northern Lights, requiring very specific atmospheric conditions in order to manifest. The lights are most likely to appear on cold, calm nights in high pressure conditions, where crystals are able to form closer to the ground, rather than higher in the atmosphere.
Wotton resident Bella Richardson spotted the lights whilst walking home from work at around 11.45pm on Thursday night.
“It was a magical experience. It was honestly surreal,” she explained.
“I was almost home and out of the corner of my eye I saw what looked like white streaks in the sky. It really shocked me,”
“I was lucky enough to see the Northern Lights last year, and initially thought that’s what it was. What was amazing is that I could see it so clearly and it was so bright! With the lack of light pollution in the area it was so incredible!”
Bella posted her image of the lights on Facebook where many agreed that it was the Aurora. One user cited an occurrence in Finland, complete with striking images of a purely white Aurora.
Upon further research, these images are a widely circulated hoax. A Russian photographer with the username ‘NeverSmile’ posted the images on the site Yaklapal.com, complete with a caption explaining that the images were created with fluorescent lights using a long exposure technique. They have since been reshared consistently, purporting to show the Northern Lights in a previously unseen colour.
With the increasing impact of climate change on our planet, we are likely to experience more regular sightings of Aurora Borealis in more southerly locations. But – if it’s white – you are likely seeing light pillars. A rarer, and perhaps even more beautiful, natural phenomenon.
Picture by Bella Richardson: Instagram @cotswold.copy
