What is ball lightning? Rare weather phenomenon caught on camera in Alberta

Summary

A rare and mesmerizing thunderstorm in Rich Valley, Alberta, produced a glowing blue ball of light known as ball lightning, captured on camera by viewers Ed and Melinda Party. Lasting 23 seconds, the phenomenon appeared just after a lightning strike, creating a floating, luminous sphere that disappeared with a pop. Although reports of ball lightning date back to the 12th century, video documentation is extremely rare. Scientists are still investigating its cause, with theories involving vaporized silicon or ionized air particles forming glowing plasma. Laboratory recreations have yet to replicate all observed behaviors, making Ed and Melinda’s backyard footage a remarkable glimpse of this mysterious natural phenomenon.

Takeaways

• ⚡ A rare thunderstorm phenomenon called ball lightning was captured in Rich Valley, Alberta by Ed and Melinda Party.
• 🔵 The ball lightning observed was glowing blue and appeared just moments after an intense lightning strike.
• ⏱️ The phenomenon lasted approximately 23 seconds, ending with a pop sound before disappearing.
• 🌍 Over 10,000 reports of ball lightning exist globally, dating back to the 12th century.
• 👨‍✈️ Observers of ball lightning have included pilots, sailors, scientists, and everyday people.
• 🏀 Ball lightning varies in size from a grapefruit to a basketball, and sometimes even meters wide.
• 🌈 Its color can range from red, blue, orange, to yellow, and it typically hovers just above the ground.
• 🏠 Ball lightning can sometimes move through windows and even enter indoor spaces.
• 🧪 Scientists are unsure of the exact cause, but theories include vaporized silicon reacting with oxygen or ionized particles in the air forming glowing plasma.
• 🔬 Laboratory recreations of ball lightning exist but have not replicated all observed properties, such as movement or window passage.
• 🍀 Ed and Melinda were very fortunate to capture such a rare and well-documented example of ball lightning.

Q & A

What phenomenon was captured by Ed and Melinda Party in Rich Valley, Alberta?

They captured a rare and mysterious phenomenon known as ball lightning, which appeared as a glowing blue ball of light following a lightning strike.

How long did the ball lightning last?

The ball lightning lasted for about 23 seconds before disappearing with a popping sound.

How common is blue ball lightning?

Blue ball lightning is very rare, although there have been over 10,000 reports of ball lightning worldwide dating back to the 12th century.

Who has reported seeing ball lightning?

Reports of ball lightning have come from pilots, sailors, scientists, and everyday people.

What are the typical sizes and colors of ball lightning?

Ball lightning can range in size from a grapefruit to a basketball, and sometimes even meters wide. Its color can vary from red to blue, orange, or yellow.

Where is ball lightning usually found?

It is typically found just above the ground, hovering near the location where the lightning strike occurred, but it can also move and even pass through windows indoors.

Is ball lightning an optical illusion?

No, ball lightning is a real phenomenon caused by intense thunderstorms.

What is one theory explaining the formation of ball lightning?

One theory suggests that a lightning strike vaporizes silicon in the ground, which reacts with oxygen in the air to create a glowing plasma ball above the ground.

What is an alternative theory for how ball lightning forms?

Another theory proposes that lightning ionizes particles in the air, such as gases or water vapor, creating a clump of ionized plasma that glows and hovers above the ground.

Have scientists successfully recreated all properties of ball lightning in laboratories?

No, while ball lightning has been partially recreated in labs, none of the experiments have fully replicated properties like the ball's movement or its ability to pass through windows.

Why are Ed and Melinda considered lucky in this event?

They are considered lucky because they captured a very rare and unique phenomenon of ball lightning on video in their backyard, which is rarely documented so clearly.