# Big hairy lightning balls **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [September 19, 2004, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-hairy-lightning-balls/264945 "2004-09-19T03:29:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![LArrgentDOr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c89c15/32.png) [@LArrgentDOr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LArrgentDOr)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2004, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-hairy-lightning-balls/264945/41 "2004-09-21T20:48:39Z")
> [@Dan Norder](#): > > And, as mentioned in Cecil’s column, with flashes of bright lights looking like balls of light from afterimages on one’s eyesight, what makes you think it wasn’t the ordinary (read: actually proven to exist) type of lightning? > > In other words, no offense, but random reports from some unnamed person or people about what they think they saw aren’t all that reliable. Did you read the original link I posted for an online encyclopedia?: > **[Ball lightning](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ball_lightning)** > > Ball lightning is an unexplained phenomenon described as luminescent, spherical objects that vary from pea-sized to several meters in diameter. Though usually associated with thunderstorms, ball lightnings are said to last considerably longer than the split-second flash of a lightning bolt, and are a distinct phenomenon from St. Elmo's fire. > Some 19th-century reports describe balls that eventually explode and leave behind an odor of sulfur. Descriptions of ball lightning appear in a variety o... Rather than “some unnamed person or people,” that link quoted the following sources in its discussion of ball lightning and stated that, while formally believed to be a myth, it is now an accepted scientific phenomena: Barry, James Dale. Ball Lightning and Bead Lightning. New York: Plenum Press. 1980. Cade, Cecil Maxwell and Delphine Davis. The Taming of the Thunderbolts. New York: Abelard-Schuman Limited. 1969. Golde, R. H. Lightning. Bristol: John Wright and Sons Limited. 1977. Singer, Stanley. The Nature of Ball Lightning. New York: Plenum Press. 1971. Viemeister, Peter E. The Lightning Book. Cambridge: MIT Press. 1972. External links Bergström, Arne, “Electrodynamic confinement - - a new field of science and technology? (the secret of ball lightning and a new field of science and technology)”. Scientor Research & Development. Stockholm, Sweden. Corum, Kenneth L., and James F.Corum, "Tesla’s production of electric fireballs ". Corum & Associates, Inc., Windsor, Ohio Talbot, Michel T., “Ball Lightning: Rare Atmospheric Phenomena (RAP)” Bill Beaty’s Ball Lightning Page (Alternative URL ) Various articles, experiments, and information on Ball lightning Hochwald, Hans, “Microwave Experiments” Alternative “toaster” . ‘Ball Lightning’ produced using a high voltage arc and carbon Darling, David, "Ball lightning ". The Encyclopedia of Astrobiology, Astronomy, and Spaceflight. Shelto, J. D., "Eddy Current Model of Ball Lightning ". Fruita, Colorado. January 13, 2004. Straight Dope: Does ball lightning really exist? Ball lightning properties ] Google directory: Ball Lightning ---
**Author:** ![LArrgentDOr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c89c15/32.png) [@LArrgentDOr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LArrgentDOr)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2004, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-hairy-lightning-balls/264945/42 "2004-09-21T20:51:34Z")
[QUOTE=LArrgentDOr] Did you read the original link I posted for an online encyclopedia?: > **[Ball lightning](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ball_lightning)** > > Ball lightning is an unexplained phenomenon described as luminescent, spherical objects that vary from pea-sized to several meters in diameter. Though usually associated with thunderstorms, ball lightnings are said to last considerably longer than the split-second flash of a lightning bolt, and are a distinct phenomenon from St. Elmo's fire. > Some 19th-century reports describe balls that eventually explode and leave behind an odor of sulfur. Descriptions of ball lightning appear in a variety o... Rather than “some unnamed person or people,” that link quoted the following sources in its discussion of ball lightning and stated that, while formally believed to be a myth, it is now an accepted scientific phenomena: I meant “formerly” not “formally.” Damn spellcheck! :smack: ---
**Author:** ![chrxtopher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eb9ed0/32.png) [@chrxtopher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chrxtopher)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2004, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-hairy-lightning-balls/264945/43 "2004-09-21T22:54:05Z")
My girlfriend was reading this week’s SD and asked me if I’d ever heard of “ball lightning”. “Of course,” I replied, “my dad saw that several times when he was flying.” Without knowing that the column recounted a similar story, I told her how my father, Capt. R. M. Schneberger, saw ball lightning (also known as St. Elmo’s Fire) form out of the windshield of his aircraft (DC-3, Eastern Airlines) and float back through the passenger cabin, bouncing as it went like a balloon, and finally disappearing against the back wall. He told me he saw this on several occasions. He never touched it, although he said he was tempted, and said that it alarmed and enchanted passengers and crew. I would ask him to contribute a report of this himself but he passed away four years ago. I’m sure many pilots of that era could offer similar accounts. ---
**Author:** ![Askance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askance/32/8281_2.png) [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2004, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-hairy-lightning-balls/264945/44 "2004-09-22T04:39:46Z")
**Dan Norder** is not saying that ball lightning per se is mythical, he’s asking what evidence you have that this particular event was ball lightning (which by most reports is cool and causes no damage) and not ordinary lightning (which does cause the kind of damage you report). ---
**Author:** ![Dan\_Norder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4af34b/32.png) [@Dan\_Norder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dan_Norder)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2004, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-hairy-lightning-balls/264945/45 "2004-09-22T05:49:29Z")
> [@LArrgentDOr](#): > > Did you read the original link I posted for an online encyclopedia? Did YOU read Cecil’s column? We can go back and forth all day on this, but the point is, the experts who have studied it for years aren’t entirely sure if it’s real or not. You showing up with a second hand anecdote and pointing at an online encyclopedia that any old joe off the street with no credentials can write for doesn’t in any way dispute Cecil’s column. All it does is prove what he already said: some people think it exists (largely based upon acceptance of eye-witness reports, which other studies have shown to be highly unreliable in general), but there is no solid factual evidence. ---
**Author:** ![ceptimus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/34f0e0/32.png) [@ceptimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ceptimus)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2004, 8:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-hairy-lightning-balls/264945/46 "2004-09-22T08:00:03Z")
St Elmo’s fire is **NOT** the same as ball lightning. St Elmo’s fire definitely exists, and is well documented and scientifically understood. It was first seen on the masts of tall ships sailing beneath thunderstorms, and is frequently seen on the wingtips of aircraft. It is a form of coronal discharge. Ball lightning (if it exists) is sometimes reported to be similar to St Elmo’s fire, but the essential difference is that it is free floating - there is no conductor from which the discharge can occur. There is no good scientific theory (AFAIK) of how this could happen. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2004, 11:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-hairy-lightning-balls/264945/47 "2004-09-22T11:06:30Z")
I have merged all five threads on Cecil’s _Ball Lightning_ column. If you have something to say on this subject, please do not start a new thread-post in _this_ one. Thank you. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2004, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-hairy-lightning-balls/264945/48 "2004-09-23T03:00:53Z")
> [@Scylla](#): > > And just for fun, here’s a cite for this dude named Chukanov, who’s doing the microwave oven plasmoid trick, and claiming it’s one giant atom that releases quantum energy, named “Chukanov energy” 'natch. > > He’s gonna power cities with it, and he claims it has many health benefits. I’d like to look at that, if only for a chuckle, but you forgot to include the link. ---
**Author:** ![dogbutler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dogbutler/32/428_2.png) [@dogbutler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dogbutler)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2004, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-hairy-lightning-balls/264945/49 "2004-09-23T03:27:18Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > I’d like to look at that, if only for a chuckle, but you forgot to include the link. [Somebody set us up the (photonic)bomb!](http://www.chukanovenergy.com/) :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![LArrgentDOr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c89c15/32.png) [@LArrgentDOr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LArrgentDOr)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2004, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-hairy-lightning-balls/264945/50 "2004-09-23T14:10:27Z")
> [@Dan Norder](#): > > Did YOU read Cecil’s column? > > We can go back and forth all day on this, but the point is, the experts who have studied it for years aren’t entirely sure if it’s real or not. You showing up with a second hand anecdote and pointing at an online encyclopedia that any old joe off the street with no credentials can write for doesn’t in any way dispute Cecil’s column. All it does is prove what he already said: some people think it exists (largely based upon acceptance of eye-witness reports, which other studies have shown to be highly unreliable in general), but there is no solid factual evidence. I submitted my original entry about the event from my family history for anecdotal interest, not as proof. Then I sited the encyclopedia’s references (not its writer) to back up the assertion that the phenomena is more studied and accredited than a few “random reports.” I appreciate your dogged determination to believe the phenomenon is impossible, however, as I am aware that I have not at any point attempted to offer scientific proof. So please be careful about what you accuse me of. For the interested, I do hope to scan the newspaper clipping and photographs from the fire in a few weeks (when I have access to them). For _general interest_ not incontestable proof, however. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2004, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-hairy-lightning-balls/264945/51 "2004-09-23T19:24:09Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > I have merged all five threads on Cecil’s _Ball Lightning_ column. Goodness, gracious, great balls of lightnin’! ---
**Author:** ![The\_Long\_Road](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b5a626/32.png) [@The\_Long\_Road](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Long_Road)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2004, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-hairy-lightning-balls/264945/52 "2004-09-24T04:06:23Z")
> [@dogbutler](#): > > [Somebody set us up the (photonic)bomb!](http://www.chukanovenergy.com/) > > :dubious: To hell with the ball lightning, I want the woman in [photo 4](http://www.chukanovenergy.com/photos/DSCF0342.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Phuc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ec9cab/32.png) [@Phuc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phuc)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2004, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-hairy-lightning-balls/264945/53 "2004-10-25T16:49:34Z")
When I was in the sixth grade, I was unlocking my bike from the rack behind the school. I was in a hurry because it had become cloudy and there were flashes of lightning. A bolt came down in the distance, and I looked up to see if I could spot another one. That’s when I noticed a ball of light way up in the sky. It moved around slowly and erratically and left a trail. After about five seconds, it faded. As a little geek who had always wanted to see a flying saucer, I would loved to have thought I just spotted one, but even at that tender age, I knew it had to be something natural. It looked kind of like a flare, but it was going neither straight up or straight down, and it moved too slowly. It was definitely not an afterimage. I would have known–knowwhatImean? At the age of 38, I know many people who claim to have seen UFOs. Big deal. I’ve never met anyone else who saw ball lightning. –Al [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-hairy-lightning-balls/264945.md?page=2)