The natural world often presents phenomena that seem almost magical, making one ponder the supernatural or extraterrestrial. Earlier this month, striking photos emerged of nine suspended lines or pillars of light in the night sky over Daisen, a coastal town in Japan’s Tottori prefecture. These images quickly went viral, amassing over 12 million views. Following this, another person shared a similar photo capturing the same pillars of light over Nariishi Beach in Kotoura Town, just 12.7 kilometers east of Daisen.
本日22時頃に鳥取大山町の御来屋港上空に光の筋を発見。 pic.twitter.com/c0Ce8OAEiK
— まーしー (@maashii_taiyo) May 11, 2024
Maashii, who took the first photo, informed the Japanese website Hint-Pot that he has witnessed these mythical-looking lights only three or four times since moving to Daisen nine years ago. Upon seeing them at 10 PM on May 11, he promptly took out his phone and captured some pictures.
As these photos garnered thousands of likes and circulated across social media platforms, many speculated that the lights were signs from aliens, appearances of angels, or signals of an impending extraterrestrial invasion. Others joked that it seemed like scenes from a sci-fi manga series were coming to life.
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However, the reality behind these lights is just as awe-inspiring as the conspiracy theories. According to a 2015 article in Japan Today, many coastal towns in Japan experience similar “pillars of light.” These occur when overnight temperatures drop, causing water vapor in the air to form lines of ice crystals. On rare occasions, weather conditions allow these crystals to form without precipitation, leaving them suspended in the air. The light from fishing boats then reflects off these crystals, creating the appearance of glowing light rods. This phenomenon is known as “isaribi kochu,” which translates to “fish-attracting light pillars.”
However, “isaribi kochu” is rare to spot. According to Japan Today, even the lighthouse staff typically see them only once a year.
This phenomenon is not unique to Japan. In November last year, beams of light appeared over various parts of Alberta, Canada. Michael Kavulich, a scientist at the National Center for Atmospheric Research, explained to Fox Weather that “light pillars” form when ice crystals in the clouds, under very calm conditions, act like mirrors and reflect lights from the ground. While the cause of these mysterious light pillars is not supernatural, it remains a result of unique and rare natural occurrences.
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