Doha, Qatar: In the coastal town of Daisen, Japan, a breathtaking natural light show illuminated the night sky earlier this May. Photos capturing the illuminated sky over Daisen town in Tottori quickly spread across social media, captivating users and sparking curiosity about the mysterious phenomenon. Maashii_taiyo, a user on X, posted a photo on May 11, 2024, with the caption: "A streak of light was spotted in the sky above Mikuriya Port in Daisen Town, Tottori at around 10pm today.
" International news outlets and media agencies have explained that this phenomenon, known as 'Isaribi Kochu,' is a natural light display frequently observed along Japan’s coastal regions. elaborated, "‘Isaribi Kochu,’ a natural light display commonly observed in Japan’s coastal regions. Isaribi Kochu occurs when fishermen employ bright lights, known as “isaribi,” to attract fish during nighttime fishing expeditions.
Under specific atmospheric conditions, such as clear skies, low temperatures, and the presence of ice crystals in the air, these lights reflect to create vertical pillars of light." provided further insight, noting: "When the conditions are just right to produce large enough crystals but no precipitation, the light from their boats reflects off the crystals and shines brightly enough to be seen from shore." Massimo, an engineer with a following of 2 million users on X, who regularly explains phenomena related to science, technology, art, and weather, also shared the photo.