Occasionally, you may have noticed these alien-like lights in and around Great Falls and wonder what in the world they are all about.

Is this an alien invasion or a government experiment?

What in the world is going on?

I hate to burst the bubble, but the explanation lies purely in science.

This is a phenomenon called Light Pillars.

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What Are Light Pillars

As the name suggests, Light Pillars, sometimes called Sun Pillars, are just that: pillars of light that seem to protrude from the ground and extend into the sky.

Occasionally, you'll see a similar light show extending from the sky to the ground, caused by light from the sun, moon, or artificial lights in the sky.

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What Causes Light Pillars

The secret behind the Sun and Light Pillars lies with millions of falling ice crystals in the Earth's atmosphere.

These ice crystals are associated with a thin, high-altitude cloud like a cirrostratus cloud.

As those clouds drift downward, they align horizontally and gently move side to side.

When light from a source such as a streetlight, runway light, or the sun reflects off its surface, it creates a column in the air.

• Sun Pillars: These are created by sunlight, usually when the sun is near the horizon.
• Light Pillars: These are produced by other light sources, such as the moon or streetlights.

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