The Qilian Mountains in northwest China's Qinghai Province were illuminated by a spectacular display of light and shadow on Tuesday, revealing a rare natural phenomenon known as the Tyndall effect.
Following a rainstorm in Qilian County, the clouds gradually dissipated, allowing sunlight to pierce through the layers, casting a distinct and captivating play of light on the earth. This added an extra touch of mystery and allure to the already majestic Qilian Mountains.
The Tyndall effect, a physical phenomenon, occurs when light passes through a colloid, creating a clearly visible light path. With the dark clouds gradually dissipating, a rainbow quietly appeared in the sky, adding a magical touch to this visual feast.
Situated as a northern outlier of the Kunlun Mountains, the Qilian Mountains serve as the border between Gansu and Qinghai provinces.
Stretching approximately 800 km from the south of Dunhuang to the southeast, this mountain range forms the northeastern escarpment of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and the southwestern border of the Gansu Corridor.
With an average altitude of 4,000 to 5,000 meters above sea level, the Qilian Mountains were designated as a national nature reserve in 1988.
Known as the "Mother Mountains" by the people of Gansu, the Qilian Mountains continue to captivate people with their natural wonders and breathtaking landscapes.
Rare natural phenomenon Tyndall effect shines in Qilian Mountains
Beijing's consumer gold market has been running hot during the Mid-Autumn Festival holiday, despite recent rises in the gold price on international markets.
Last week, the main contract for gold futures on the New York Mercantile Exchange (COMEX) has risen to over 2,600 U.S. dollars per ounce.
At a gold shop in Beijing's Xicheng District, the price of pure gold jewelry went up to about 737 yuan (about 104 U.S. dollars) per gram, but many shoppers are still looking to buy gold jewelry especially during the Mid-Autumn Festival holiday and the end-of-summer wedding season.
"It is now more than 700 yuan (about 98.7 U.S. dollars) per gram, but when we were here about two months ago, it was only just above 600 yuan (about 84.6 U.S. dollars) per gram," said a customer.
"I'm getting married, so I came to have a look. Even if the price goes up, we still have to buy it," said another customer.
"I had nothing to do during the holidays, so I came here to take a look [at the gold jewelry]. I just bought a lucky charm bead and now I want to take a look at the bracelet," said another customer.
At the shop's gold investment counter, many consumers have been making inquiries about gold bars, which has long been considered a safe investment, although experts recommend caution in the rising gold market.
At the shop's gold investment counter, many consumers have been inquiring about gold bars, which have long been considered a safe investment. However, experts recommend caution in the rising gold market.
"Many investors will buy gold bars for medium- to long-term investment based on their expected price as part of their overall family asset allocation. We suggest that investors be more rational in their decisions," said Li Yang, a senior gold investment analyst.
Beijing consumer gold market remains hot despite rising prices
