the vocab word of the day is 'crepuscular'
i have been trying to remember the name for the rays that come from the sun and which are visible when there is dust or haze in the air. sometimes it looks like columns of light streaming down.
that word, my friends, is crepuscular rays.
and there is a nifty site which describes that and many other common and not-so-common atmospheric phenomena. go check it out!