Alberta_Rose

I think we've more or less established that lightning (forked or sheet) is lightning ..... and then there may or may not be ball lightning, which may or may not be something else!

oceanMDX

There are others wrongly (?) classified on the Internet too:

http://images.search.yahoo.com/searc...P-tab-web-t400

Alberta_Rose

We used to have a bit of a debate about whether it was different types of lightning if it appeared to go more or less vertically straight to earth or horizontally across the sky, sort of from cloud to cloud. Do you think that is part of the issue??

oceanMDX

Perhaps, if the lightning is more horizontal, it may have more opportunity to illuminate the cloud cover above and really light up the sky.

More interesting is just what causes lightning in the first place. Once that is fully understood, then answering your question becomes easier.

Alberta_Rose

I was reading yesterday.... and had heard before, that the lightning bolt is actually fairly thin and comes shooting down to earth, then rebounds upwards in a thicker slower stream, and it is that which we actually see.

That big bolt which we didn't manage to catch last night definitely was spreading upwards through the sky and branching as it went. It was well wow!!

Alberta_Rose

OK I found this great site, which explains it well .... it's pages long but really interesting!

http://science.howstuffworks.com/lightning2.htm

enjoy!

tobyjug

wish i could see the lightning, but its hard to see from behind the sofa :scared:

Alberta_Rose

Y'know, I'm OK if I'm at home, and especially if I am not on my lonesome...

The worst I find is when I'm driving on my own ...... the other day after we'd had all that good news I had to drive and pick up youngest from Calaway, a few miles west of Calgary, and I prayed all the way, cos there was lightning striking all around, and I was sure the day had been going too well!! :scared:

Biiiiink

You're safe in a car though - Faraday cage. Did you ever see Adam double-barrelled tax-advert man do that cage experiment thing? Well cool

Alberta_Rose

I have heard this ....... just wouldn't want to test it out personally, plus lighning flashes making me jump while driving = not good!

Calgal

Morwenna - that is a bloody brilliant photo, no matter what 'type' of lightening it is! Forked, sheet, ballsed, or phucked! It's still brill!

Alberta_Rose

Thanks! It is rather lovely isn't it .... clever hubby and a little bit of pure luck!