What is a sun pillar and how is it formed? What will be an ...

[TFauchery]

What is a sun pillar and how is it formed?
 
  What will be an ideal response?

Question 2

The occurrence of a sundog tells you that
 
  A) the ice crystals are columnar in shape and are horizontally-oriented as they fall.
  B) the ice crystals are platelike in shape and are horizontally-oriented as they fall.
  C) the ice crystals are columnar in shape and are tumbling while they fall.
  D) the ice crystals are platelike in shape and are tumbling while they fall.

[kaillie]

Answer to Question 1

Answer: Platelike crystals between a low Sun and an observer can also reflect (as opposed to refract) sunlight off their tops and bottoms to produce sun pillars. The many ice crystals are aligned almost, but not exactly, horizontally, with each reflecting a portion of the incoming light differently to produce the apparent columns stretching upward and downward from the Sun.

Answer to Question 2

Answer: B