Early birds were treated to a spectacular sight on Thursday morning, when a rare weather phenomenon was seen in skies across the UK.

Known as a 'sun pillar,' the vertical shaft of light, which normally occurs during sunrise or sunset, was captured at around 6am by weather watchers from Fife to Bristol.

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When the crew on the National Police Air Service in Filton, South Gloucestershire, came across the unusual view, one officer tweeted an image and said: "Odd sunrise this morning, like a comet dropping out of the sky. I'm sure there's a simple explanation."

And yes, science is behind it. According to EarthSky, sky pillars form when sunlight reflects off the surfaces of millions of falling ice crystals associated with thin, high-level clouds. They extend upwards or downwards from the sun and can be anywhere from five to 10 degrees tall.

And if you were still tucked up in bed when the latest sun pillar was on show this morning? The best time to look out for them is when the sun is low in the western sky before sunset, or low in the east just after dawn breaks. At night time, the moon or even streetlights can create a similar effect, which is known as a light pillar. Cameras at the ready...

From: Country Living UK