Sun halos and sun pillars are created from ice crystals in the sky refracting sun light, but the both look different and can form at different times of the day.
Sun pillar in Pennsylvania
© Erin
Sun halos are created when sunlight or moonlight is reflecting off ice crystals in the sky. These crystals will then form a halo around the sun. Most of the ice crystals are found in cirrus clouds or cirrostratus clouds. It usually forms a white circle or even sometimes you will see rainbow colors in the halo.

Sun halo in Pennsylvania
© Kathye
A light pillar is a vertical beam of light that extends above the light source. In this case, the source of light was the sun as it was rising. What creates this beam is tiny ice crystals in the sky reflecting the light from the sun to create the beam.
Sun halo over Pennsylvania
© Mariah
Thanks to everyone who shared their photos and keep sending them in!