Local residents captured images of glowing columns of light stretching into the sky on Wednesday morning as temperatures in the Mahoning and Shenango Valleys dropped below zero.
The visual phenomenon, known as light pillars, appeared around 6 a.m. in cities including Alliance and Hermitage. Tasha McMahon, an Alliance resident, reported seeing multiple pillars when the local temperature was approximately -5 degrees.
While the beams may look like solid columns of light rising from the ground, meteorologists and atmospheric scientists say the effect is an optical illusion. The pillars are created when millions of tiny, plate-shaped ice crystals are suspended in the air near the ground.
These crystals act like small mirrors. When they float in the air, their flat surfaces reflect light from sources like streetlights or house lights back down toward the eyes of an observer. This collective reflection creates the appearance of a tall, thin beam…