Ball Lightning

[Holmes]

Has anyone in the forum ever witnessed ball lightning?

This has long been a mystery and is so rare that meaningful observations are very hard to perform.

I wondered if there have been any recent developments in this are that someone might want to share.

 

[MerieuxMarylandPfeifield]

No, but I have witnessed at one time a green fireball, and more recently a yellow fireball.

Solid light?

[exchemist]

1 hour ago, Holmes said:

Has anyone in the forum ever witnessed ball lightning?

This has long been a mystery and is so rare that meaningful observations are very hard to perform.

I wondered if there have been any recent developments in this are that someone might want to share.

 

Yes, I have seen it once, in a "tank farm" at a lubricating oil blending plant, during a thunderstorm. After a lightning strike, I think to one of the tanks, a glowing ball, perhaps about the size of a football, or a bit smaller, appeared, which moved along a pipe track for a few seconds and then vanished. I don't recall any sound, but I was in my office looking out through a closed window, so I can't be sure if there was any sound. This was in 1982 or so, so there were no mobile phone cameras to take a picture.

I believe the phenomenon is now at least recognised as not being an illusion, but I am not aware that anyone has been able to account for it convincingly. Perhaps others will know more. 

2 minutes ago, MerieuxMarylandPfeifield said:

No, but I have witnessed at one time a green fireball, and more recently a yellow fireball.

Solid light?

Light is radiation, not matter, so it can't be solid, liquid or gaseous. 

Something emitting light, presumably.

[Andrew William Henderson]

On 7/1/2021 at 7:32 PM, Holmes said:

Has anyone in the forum ever witnessed ball lightning?

This has long been a mystery and is so rare that meaningful observations are very hard to perform.

I wondered if there have been any recent developments in this are that someone might want to share.

 

I'm a keen reader of ww2 history and once read of german and allied submarine crew witnessing ball lighting travelling the length of the inside of the sub whilst been targeted with depth charges and was thought to be the effects of concussion / pressureand humidity of the atmosphere within the sub...🤔

[Holmes]

I too have read similar reports, some dating back centuries. Has anyone here ever light a nightlight (candle) put that into a microwave oven and switched the oven on?

It is quite remarkable, not saying its related to ball lightning or anything, I suspect the burning candle creates a conductive path from the graphite and the microwaves induce a current in the graphite, but it is spectacular (no idea if this can damage the oven).

 

 

 

[exchemist]

3 minutes ago, Holmes said:

I too have read similar reports, some dating back centuries. Has anyone here ever light a nightlight (candle) put that into a microwave oven and switched the oven on?

It is quite remarkable, not saying its related to ball lightning or anything, I suspect the burning candle creates a conductive path from the graphite and the microwaves induce a current in the graphite, but it is spectacular (no idea if this can damage the oven).

 

 

 

What graphite is this?

[Holmes]

Just now, exchemist said:

What graphite is this?

The burning of the candle creates soot, the atmosphere in the vicinity of the flame would have a high concentration of soot which is carbon, so I surmised that this region might be capable of having a current induced within in it.

[exchemist]

2 minutes ago, Holmes said:

The burning of the candle creates soot, the atmosphere in the vicinity of the flame would have a high concentration of soot which is carbon, so I surmised that this region might be capable of having a current induced within in it.

Oh so you mean candle soot. I see. I'm not sure I would expect that to do anything.

And I've just tried it- having taken the elementary precaution of removing the metal foil and the metal disc securing the base of the wick - and nothing happens.  

[beecee]

On 7/2/2021 at 4:32 AM, Holmes said:

Has anyone in the forum ever witnessed ball lightning?

This has long been a mystery and is so rare that meaningful observations are very hard to perform.

I wondered if there have been any recent developments in this are that someone might want to share.

Ball lightening [if it exists] would simply be plasma created by electrical discharges and probably similar in many ways to the more confirmed "St Elmo's fire" and sprites. Our atmosphere can be highly volatile in certain conditions, and probably can also be attributed to UFO/UAP sightings in many instances.

[cladking]

On 7/5/2021 at 2:50 PM, Andrew William Henderson said:

I'm a keen reader of ww2 history and once read of german and allied submarine crew witnessing ball lighting travelling the length of the inside of the sub whilst been targeted with depth charges and was thought to be the effects of concussion / pressureand humidity of the atmosphere within the sub...🤔

I heard an unsubstantiated report that a B17 flying in formation suddenly glowed and disintegrated.  

It was reported lost to enemy fire.  

I've watched for ball lightning under all sorts of conditions my entire life.  Ironically I was only a few hundred yards away when a machine operator told me he had just seen what looked like a bright ball bounce off a metallic pile and then settle back and disappear.  

Edited July 8, 2021 by cladking