Pillar Above Brockway Mountain

Provided and Copyright by: Sharon Smith
Summary Author and Editor: Sharon Smith

The photo above showing a regal sunset and Sun pillar over Copper Harbor, Michigan was taken this past March. It had been a cold, snowy winter on the shores of Lake Superior, and it was quite nice to see this lovely sunset behind Brockway Mountain. A faint sun pillar accents this showy twilight scene. Similarly aligned, plate-shaped hexagonal ice crystals in the lower atmosphere, tipped slightly from vertical, form pillars. Note the pinkish strips on the partially frozen waters of Copper Harbor (click on photo to enlarge). Strong winds the previous 24 hours had scoured some of the snow off the frozen surface of the harbor, allowing the sky colors to be reflected on the ice. Photo taken on March 3, 2008.