Orb information: [split from reference section]

[SKIRRID5]

Is there a resource giving info about ball lightning? Has anybody ever photographed it? Or is someone going to tell me it's a myth?

[VoodooJoe]

If your clever (or perhaps dumb) enough, you can make ball lightning at home in your microwave

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tat8BH6kMcE

I saw this done a slightly different way, it produced balls of lightening which collided around the ovens inside.

Microwaving CDs is also very pretty.

[bobdezon]

I can verify ball lightning exists. I have seen it twice, and on one occiasion there were two identical balls about 1 foot across and about 1 ft apart from each other, moving in spooky tandem. They also hiss as they move, and smell strongly of ozone. They also explode/evaporate without making a sound, not even a pop, but with an incredible flash that burns the retinas temporarily.

I have also heard they can follow people about for a short distance, I have not witnessed this though and I see no logical reason for it.

[Matt]

Is there a resource giving info about ball lightning? Has anybody ever photographed it? Or is someone going to tell me it's a myth?

No I saw it (or something similar) recreated in the lab on TV. It was on TV so it must be true. Anyway the theory goes that it occurs when you have two simultaneous ground strikes of the more familiar fork lightning. These emit high powered electoromagnetic waves which can combine to form the ball of plasma seen as ball lightning.

[Mulder]

I can verify ball lightning exists. I have seen it twice, and on one occiasion there were two identical balls about 1 foot across and about 1 ft apart from each other, moving in spooky tandem. They also hiss as they move, and smell strongly of ozone. They also explode/evaporate without making a sound, not even a pop, but with an incredible flash that burns the retinas temporarily.

Very interesting! Ball lightning can strike twice, then. What are the odds?

The smell of ozone indicates the presence of a strong electric field. The lack of any sound when they disappear is interesting. It looks as though they cease to exist without either an explosion or implosion, both of which would cause shock waves and hence sound.

[SKIRRID5]

bobdezon, that ought to have been the defining moment, when you saw the light (literally) and founded the Church of the Lightning God (with you as the highly paid leader, of course.

[bobdezon]

bobdezon, that ought to have been the defining moment, when you saw the light (literally) and founded the Church of the Lightning God (with you as the highly paid leader, of course.

I could have made a fortune [/hubbard]

Already done though Im afraid. http://churchofthor.com/