Subject: Fwd = Ball Lightning Website
From: Frits Westra <fwestra@...>
Date: 24 May 2002 00:38
Forwarded by: fwestra@... (Frits Westra)
http://www.ernmphotography.com/Pages/Ball_Lightning/Ball_Lightning_ErnM.html
Original Date: Thu, 23 May 2002 09:31:08 -0500
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Ball Lightning - Kugelblitz - Boules de Feu
Fireballs, Geophysical Meteors, or Rocket Lightning.
Ball Lightning event Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
1st Feb. 2002
Updated : 21st May 2002 - Seven other witnesses found so far -
providing remarkable observations. Distance covered - approx. 12km.
Initially it's velocity was approx. 720kph and had a 'Corona' diameter
of at least 125 feet and divided on impact into smaller balls "with
interconnecting colour to give almost the impression of part of a
necklace or string of beads"....For Full Update scroll down page.
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1 * It first appeared somewhere over the Wantirna South area and
appears to have touched down atleast twice 'bouncing' 12km to
Blackburn. It seems that it disintegrated a little each time as it
struck obstacles while trying to follow the terrain horizontally
westwards - even it seems rising over higher land. Initially it had an
outer Orange/Red diameter of 125 - 150 feet.
2 ** It now appears likely that its first impact point triggered, or
was simultaneous with the large jaggered strike that is captured in
the next frame on the roll. I seem to recall the motordrive advancing
the film quite soon after the event and then immediately realeasing it
again by puffer cable release. [1pixeltransparent.gif] It (or at least
part of it) appears to have clipped trees with a huge bang killing one
medium sized tree and slightly damaging another in Vermont. After the
bang, a large (30m) Orange glowing light persisted among one grove of
trees for about 5 seconds. It then dimmed slowly over a few more
seconds before disappearing completely. "The light had a strangeness
about it , but looked something like as if a flare had been lit . I
nearly hit the roof when it struck", said Paul Maher.
3 *** During the second stage of its journey it was observed
consisting of four spheres in line. The second was possibly a bit
smaller with two smaller ones again following closely in train with
perhaps a short tail at the end " to give almost the impression of
part of a necklace or string of beads. They were connected by colour
and lightning" said J.S. "They appeared Gold/Yellow at their centres
with dimmer Orange/Red flashing corona around them. As with me, it was
also observed as not being connected by lightning either to cloud or
ground and moving quite fast.
4 **** It was briefly glimpsed passing over the vicinity of
Nunnawading Station - with another loud bang occuring. Very roughly
estimated diameter of Orange glow about 40 feet (12m) and height of 30
- 40 feet. The witness a few blocks away thought that a petrol station
had exploded.
5 ***** It was seen 'rolling' off a railway embankment at Blackburn.
Its tail still extended up the slope (approx 20 ft) when it seems to
have contacted a metal BBQ plate and disappeared instantly with a very
loud bang leaving no trace. The Yellow ball was estimated to be one
metre wide and filling the backyard in an Orange/Red glow.
6 ****** The relationship between the BL and the lightning strike it
appears connected to in the photo remains a mystery. I believe they
are most likely to be connected however some scientists suggest that
they are possibly not - while some Physicists and Electrical
Engineeers say it is consistant with their previously held theories
that an electrical discharge initiates the BL. ( Frustratingly, I can
only recall the ball 'brightening' and not the stroke itself or how
long before it took place).
7 ******* From other reports I've gathered there were possibly at
least three seperate Ball Lightning events if not several during this
storm. I'm still following up some reports but more are wanted.
A "Green with brighter centre" one was seen in an area 10 km N/W
of the Wantirna and was reported from an observer at Kangaroo
Ground Tower and is possibly what was also observed by a Qantas 767
pilot inbound to Melbourne. Not discounting a typical 'green' power
grid strike but it appears there was an airborne sphere that descended.
A third one - White / Silver - was seen
skimming the roof of a house in Brighton (12 km away) and heading west
at about the same time.
Fireball / Ball Lightning phenomena is so
fascinating and extraordinary and yet Melbourne related events have
apparently recieved little or no documentation. It's also of great
scientific interest worldwide. I'm also collecting older past
sightings in Melbourne to perhaps reveal how often these events have
been seen, however many must actually go unobserved.
[1pixeltransparent.gif] Had I not caught this one on film I doubt that
the accounts of the witnesses found would ever have come to light and
have been linked together.
[1pixeltransparent.gif] Other BL events this past summer 2001 / 2002 :
[1pixeltransparent.gif] I have also recieved reports of six other Ball
Lightning events in Melbourne this summer bringing it to a total of
nine apparent seperate events so far. And these are only the ones that
have mostly by chance found their way to me.
[1pixeltransparent.gif] Plus from the same area I've had a few
accounts of mystery electricaly charged 'bombs' falling from the sky
in mild weather conditions - all of them White and crackling with
electricity and having a loud 'incoming' sound that some who know
describe as "just like the V-2 rockets made in the war". I've read
other accounts of this happening in other countries. It seems strange
but, their origins may yet prove to be terrestial or semi-terrestial
with very long distances involved or are of true meteor like nature.
[1pixeltransparent.gif] Email me ( or phone 03 9712-0002) of your
sighting if you would like to have them recorded.
[1pixeltransparent.gif] I've also had 3 seperate accounts of lightning
entering peoples homes (in strange shapeless plasma like states and
not ball like) apparently passing through glass doors and windows
without breaking them (but perhaps through cracks ?). In one case it
entered a Newsagent's shop " rapidly running down the glass window
like a sheet on the outside, under the half open sliding door and
beneath/around a customers feet " - he felt nothing - and finally to
cables under the counter.
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--[snipped -- for pics and more info, visit above URL]-----
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