Sky’s the limit: Mysterious pillar ‘clouds’ over Ubon Ratchathani
A mysterious pillar, or column, rising from rainbow-hued clouds has enchanted the skies above Ubon Ratchathani, capturing the attention and imaginations of residents alike. The striking phenomenon, immortalised in a photograph shared on the Facebook page มีด่าน à¸à¸¸à¸šà¸¥à¸£à¸²à¸Šà¸˜à¸²à¸™à¸µ, sparked a flurry of intrigue and speculation about its origins.
“What’s this pillar? Yesterday, October 21, at 5.35pm on Ubon Khueang Nai Road, I saw the beautiful, colourful sky. Yet, I inadvertently snapped this odd pillar with my camera. It wasn’t visible to the naked eye. What kind of light beam is this? I decided to share it for everyone to see.”
The photo has since caused a flurry of activity online.
Associate Professor Jessada Denduangboripant from Chulalongkorn University, a renowned science communicator, addressed the enigma.
“If this photo is unaltered, we can start to analyse it. The rainbow-tinted clouds are a natural spectacle known as ‘cloud iridescence,’ which happens when sunlight interacts with ice crystals, creating a vibrant display.”
Despite multiple sightings and shared images confirming cloud iridescence, the mysterious black pillar remains unsolved. The anomaly was not visible to the naked eye, only appearing in the camera’s capture.
Jessada ventured further, suggesting the black shadow could be a “distrail,” the lesser-known cousin of “contrails”—those jetliner trails often mistaken for missile streaks. A distrail emerges when aircraft heat and turbulence vaporise ice crystals in a cloud, leaving a visible gap.
“If it were a distrail, it should have been visible to the naked eye. The mystery of this pillar persists. Hopefully, it isn’t a trick of photo editing or a camera glitch.”
As experts and the public remain captivated, the mystery continues to send ripples through conversations, leaving all pondering whether it’s a rare natural marvel, an elaborate visual illusion, or something wholly unforeseen.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some common questions asked about this news.
Why do some atmospheric phenomena, like the ‘pillar’ in Ubon Ratchathani, only appear in photos and not to the naked eye?
They may result from camera sensor sensitivities or optical illusions not perceptible to human vision.
How does cloud iridescence create such vibrant colours in the sky, and what does it reveal about atmospheric conditions?
Cloud iridescence occurs when sunlight diffracts through ice crystals, indicating high-altitude cloud presence and specific atmospheric conditions.
What if the ‘black pillar’ phenomenon is a new type of atmospheric event yet to be documented by science?
It could expand our understanding of atmospheric physics and lead to discoveries in meteorological science.
How do distrails differ from contrails, and what unique conditions must be present for a distrail to form?
Distrails form when aircraft heat causes ice crystals in clouds to evaporate, requiring thin, supercooled cloud layers.
What role do social media and collective observations play in uncovering and understanding rare natural phenomena?
They enable widespread sharing and verification, potentially leading to collaborative scientific investigations and discoveries.
