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This Monday it was possible to see spectacular celestial rays from Gavà, as can be seen in this snapshot in Las Fotos de los Lectores de La Vanguardia.
It is crepuscular rays. In atmospheric optics they are rays of sunlight that appear to radiate from a single point in the sky.
As seen in the image, these rays flow through openings in clouds (especially stratocumulus) or between other objects. They are columns of sunlit air separated by dark cloud shadow regions.
The name comes from its frequent appearances during the twilight hours (sunrise and sunset), when the contrasts between light and dark are most obvious.
Not in vain twilight comes from the Latin word crepusculum which means “twilight”. Twilight rays are also called sudden rays, Jacob’s ladder, ladder to heaven, rays of God, rays of Buddha, rays of light of Jesus, rays of the Holy Spirit and fingers of God.
