Crepuscular rays: Nature's breathtaking light show

AccuWeather

AccuWeather's Ariella Scalese explains the mesmerizing lights known as crepuscular rays and how they form. These lights form from a mix of the sun's position, cloud conditions and scattering lights.

Transcript

00:00This is one of my favorite kind of nature light shows.

00:04Crospacular rays.

00:05They are beams of sunlight that appear to radiate from a single point in the sky.

00:10Despite seeming to converge, these rays are actually near parallel shafts of light

00:14with their apparent convergence being a perspective effect, similar to railroad tracks.

00:18Crospacular rays form through a combination of atmospheric conditions and the scattering of light.

00:23You can see with partially cloudy skies, that's going to be ideal for formation

00:27and the clouds need to be positioned in such a way that they can block

00:31and allow sunlight through pass-through beams.

00:34Crospacular rays can be seen anywhere in the world,

00:36but they are particularly striking in areas with clear horizons

00:39and minimal light pollution, such as rural regions or coastal areas.

00:44So as Anna said, hey, take some time to look up and look at nature's spectacular light show.

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