Mysterious Light Pillars Over the Sea Frighten Residents of Japan

An intriguing celestial phenomenon, it turns out, is created by human hands. Even if unintentionally.

Social media has been flooded with photographs taken by residents of several coastal cities in Japan. They noticed several light pillars in the night sky. They counted between eight and nine. Some were quick to panic and perceived this as a sign of an impending alien invasion. Science fiction series are clearly making their mark.

However, fishermen are quite familiar with this celestial phenomenon. In Japan, it even has its own name - Isaribi Kochu. This literally translates to "pillars that attract fish." They form above fishing boats that go out to sea to catch squid.

To attract their catch, fishermen use special lanterns. Under normal conditions, they do not cause any atmospheric effects. However, when nighttime air temperatures drop to a certain level, the tiniest ice crystals form. They reflect the light from the lanterns on the fishing boats. The boats themselves are not visible from a great distance, but the light pillars that form can be seen from a considerable distance. Therefore, to the uninitiated, they can provoke surprise and even fear.

It is worth noting that this is far from the first instance where human activity causes unusual atmospheric phenomena that spark lively discussions on social media.