Seconds Into This Time-Lapse Video Of Our Galaxy, Something Fascinating Happens

It’s easy to forget how small we are as we navigate the hustle and bustle of daily life. In fact, the phenomenon often surpasses ignorance of our minuteness and morphs into inflated egoism, but the second we peel our eyes away from our phone screens and cast our downward gazes up into space, this smallness becomes all too apparent.

Over the past few weeks, our galaxy has been making waves with stories of new celestial bodies and planetary alignments, and as such, our ignorant bliss has been interrupted in the best way. But if that doesn’t make you feel small, check out this time-lapse footage. About 11 seconds in, the video is punctuated by something incredible.

Although it’s by no means an unfamiliar phenomenon, the Aurora Borealis never fails to drive home the fact that our little planet is part of something immense. In the grand scheme of things, we might be tiny blips on the radar — but the fact that we’re privy to so much beauty makes our position feel pretty extraordinary.

Read more: http://www.viralnova.com/time-lapse-aurora/

Recently, The Weather Conditions Were Perfect For This Mind-Blowing Phenomenon

Sometimes winter isn’t all that bad.

Case in point: when the sun sets in a cold environment, it reflects against ice crystals that manifest in the air. The collective surface of these ice crystals acts as a mirror to the sun and other light sources (like street lamps), reflecting their light into the image of pillars reaching for the stars.

That’s a lot of sciencey-sounding stuff, but all you really need to know is that light pillars look cool as hell. Check out these pictures taken from people all over the world!

It’s understandable why some people think these are UFOs.

Amazing.

(via My Modern Met)

So even though winter is sometimes a mushy mess of discolored snow on the ground, up in the sky it’s a heavenly light show for the gods. If only there was a way that I could see a light pillar without leaving the warmth of my apartment…

Read more: http://www.viralnova.com/light-pillar/