Sun candle,” as it has been described, recently appeared in the sky over Austria as part of a rare atmospheric phenomenon-a breathtaking, nearly unbelievable optical illusion. Skier Lenka Lanč caught it on film, and her video spread quickly through social media, with users describing it as breathtaking and astounding.
The “sun candle” phenomenon, though rare, offers a glimpse into the intricate and fascinating ways in which natural forces interact with our environment. For the skier who witnessed it, the experience was nothing short of life-changing, and the viral video has allowed others to share in the awe and mystery of this optical illusion.
Lanč’s viral video captures breathtaking “sun candle” phenomenon
The extraordinary occurrence of such an event happened in Austria where the video went viral with Lanč describing the moment as “breathtaking” and claiming he just wanted to “drive through that light.” He used his sense of humor to express the thoughts whether it was possibly some entrance to another dimension or parallel universe. LANCH’S video, shared by ViralHog, is very interesting. Further explaining his emotions about the incident, he declared it to be one of the most amazing experiences of his life. The amazement the phenomenon is eliciting is understandable from his response.
What is the “sun candle”?
The “sun candle” is also known as a subsun-an atmospheric phenomenon occurring rarely. It happens when sunlight interacts with small, flat ice crystals found in the atmosphere, usually within cirrus clouds or ice fog. These ice crystals act like mirrors, reflecting sunlight and giving a vertical beam of light resembling a candle flame. Certain conditions must be met for the phenomenon to occur. In this instance, sunlight will only be able to reflect off the ice crystals at a highly specific angle for the formation of the vertical beam of light. It is actually an optical illusion that resembles a sun pillar but can be witnessed from great altitudes such as mountain tops or even planes. The observation of this phenomenon is mostly experienced during sunrise and sunset, especially when the sun is low at the horizon with it right underneath.