-Recall that while this was going on, a "Pillar of cloud by day, a pillar of fire by night" was hovering overhead, in the sky, leading Moses and the tribes through the desert.

*** Do you think it more likely that this describes a Volcano?
Read you book again…..It does NOT say that this pillar was “hovering overhead”.

-More likely, a very bright light source was provided overhead that the scribes interpreted as "the sun"

***Or possibly a Super Nova.

How about the plagues god brought to Egypt…such as the one where all the cattle and Horses were killed.
And yet there were horses to pull the Chariots that followed after the allegedly fleeing Israelites.
Where did these horses suddenly come from?

Actually they were being EXPELLED. Written as is to save face.