Rare sky phenomenon observed from the Rhigos Mountain. (Dark Sky Wales/Allan Trow/Andy Burns)

A team of stargazers in the United Kingdom were stunned to spot a rareatmospheric optical phenomenon in the night sky known as light pillars.

Bright orange streaks were briefly seen over theRhigos Mountain in Wales to the delight of constellation watchers out in the field.

Veteran astronomerAllan Trow told weather.com that it was the first time his group had witnessed such a sight, which lit up in the sky for approximately 90 seconds.

"(They) appeared whilst we were observing the constellation of Orion with a group," Trow observed.

(MORE:Stargazers Spot Mysterious Aurora in Alberta)

"The pillars emerged as an orange band next to Orion's sword and remained long enough for us to remove cameras from the telescopes and put lenses on them to capture the spectacular sight," he added. "Between the three experienced observers present, none had seen anything like it."

According to experts at NASA, light pillars are created in the atmosphere when ice crystals, suspended in the clouds, reflect light (either sunlight or light from the ground), which are then seen in eye-popping colors over the horizon.

Light pillars werespottedin North America back in December with reported sightings in Pueblo, Colorado.

MORE ON WEATHER.COM:Rare Aurora Borealis