In these high, cold cirrocumulus clouds a weather phenomenon is formed known as a sun pillar. This vertical shaft of muted color was created when early afternoon sunlight reflects off falling ice crystals. A rainbow colored column of light is typically seen either in the early morning or late in the afternoon when the incident sunlight may be reddened. The tilted ice crystals or snowflakes slowly drift down through the clouds and the light is reflected up from the upper portion of the snowflake. The more the hexagonal crystals tilt, the taller the sun pillar.