Light pillars captured on Mount Etna in Italy are created by ice crystals formed from steam emitted by the volcano reflecting the light of magma. /Courtesy of Davide Calio

A pillar of light shot up into the sky from Mount Etna, a volcano on the Italian island of Sicily, creating a spectacular scene. A pillar of light refers to a phenomenon in astronomy where sunlight is reflected by clouds. The pillar of light captured in this photo was produced by the red light emitted from the magma. The steam released by the volcano met with cold air, creating ice crystals. The ice crystals reflected the light from the magma in the air, creating the appearance of a pillar of light as if lava was soaring into the sky.