Amidst a sky filled with gray clouds, a beam of bright golden light suddenly broke through, creating a “pathway” from the heavens down to the earth. Anyone who witnessed this magnificent and mysterious sight found it hard to believe; some even felt a sense of fear. So, what is this phenomenon really?
Typically, when the sky is overcast with gray clouds, any light that appears is usually just a faint glimmer. However, sometimes, light finds its own way.
Recently, a photo was captured showing a beam of radiant golden light seemingly piercing through the gray cloud cover, or it appeared as though the clouds opened up a passage for this beam to shine down to the ground.
This phenomenon occurred in the city of Milton, Florida, USA. The image of the mysterious beam of light attracted a lot of attention online. Some referred to this beam as the “pathway to Heaven” or “divine rays,” “UFO beam”, and some worried that it might be a “sign” of something.
Mysterious beam of light in Milton, Florida on November 18. (Photo: Jessica Parker).
In ancient folklore, it was said to be a “path for souls to ascend to Heaven.” However, according to science, that is not the case.
In reality, this is a natural phenomenon known as “crepuscular rays,” which can occur during both dawn and dusk, according to the UK Met Office.
Specifically, this phenomenon occurs when sunlight is scattered by dust, smoke, or other particles in the atmosphere. These rays pass through gaps in the clouds. Though they appear to converge at a point above the clouds and spread out below them, they are, in fact, nearly parallel.
Illustration to explain the phenomenon of “crepuscular rays.” (Photo: Weather).
The “crepuscular rays” are typically golden in color, sometimes red, due to the longer wavelengths of light (yellow, red) being less scattered compared to shorter wavelengths of light (blue, green).
“Crepuscular rays” are most clearly seen during twilight, as there is a very distinct contrast between light and dark in the sky, which is why their English name is crepuscular, derived from Latin meaning “twilight.”
