Design

The stunning natural phenomenon of light pillars

By Stacey Kole

January 16, 2013

In our technologically driven society, it’s tempting to exclusively draw inspiration from electronic sources. A creative block hits and soon you’re surfing the web, checking out Pinterest, clicking from site to site—determined that a screen full of pixels holds the magic key.

But maybe, from time to time, inspiration just might be found by stepping outside of the two-dimensional world and into the three-dimensional, original source of beauty—nature.

Consider the visual phenomenon known as light pillars. During very cold weather, the reflection of sunlight or moonlight on ice crystals creates vertical columns of light. The color and size of the pillars vary according to the distance from which they are viewed, producing a stunning optical effect that rivals any Pantone hue. Under the right conditions, terrestrial objects like streetlamps or car lights also can produce these beautifully haunting beams.

So the next time you’re tempted to stay inside and stare at the screen, try taking a stroll on a cold winter’s night. Or, at the very least, plug in “light pillars” in your search bar—you’ll be met with a majestic reminder that inspiration is as close as the great outdoors.

Where do you draw inspiration from? Have you ever seen light pillars with your own eyes? Let us know in the comments.