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X-Apparently-To: mysterylights@yahoogroups.com Received: (EGP: mail-8_0_3_2); 23 May 2002 22:37:50 -0000 Received: (qmail 20533 invoked from network); 23 May 2002 22:37:49 -0000 Received: from unknown (66.218.66.218) by m10.grp.scd.yahoo.com with QMQP; 23 May 2002 22:37:49 -0000 Received: from unknown (HELO rebecca.tiscali.nl) (195.241.76.181) by mta3.grp.scd.yahoo.com with SMTP; 23 May 2002 22:37:49 -0000 Received: from xs241-213-99.dial.tiscali.nl (xs241-213-99.dial.tiscali.nl [195.241.213.99]) by rebecca.tiscali.nl (Postfix) with SMTP id 333D28A417E for ; Fri, 24 May 2002 00:37:43 +0200 (MET DST) MIME-Version: 1.0 To: Date: Fri, 24 May 2002 00:38:09 +0200 X-Mailer: Net-Tamer 1.12.0 Subject: Fwd = Ball Lightning Website X-Mailreader: NTReader v0.36w(P)/Beta (Registered) Message-Id: <20020523223743.333D28A417E@...> From: Frits Westra X-Yahoo-Group-Post: member; u=196822 X-Yahoo-Profile: parodynl 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 ========================== Forwarded message begins ====================== 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. _________________________________________________________________ --[snip]---- 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. _________________________________________________________________ --[snipped -- for pics and more info, visit above URL]----- ========================== Forwarded message ends ========================