Help needed! Strange lights!

kittynh · 27th October 2004, 09:54 AM

here is my latest askanexpert question. I have a few guesses about it, but would like some other input.

thanks!

here it is....

Strange Light
Question: I have a question about something that happened to me just the other night that i cant explain in the sky. Im from ohio and i was with my girlfriend in columbus for the evening. Well she lives in dayton and i go to school near zanesville which leaves about 2 1/2 hours between us and columbus is in the middle. Well i was driving back to college and was right outside of Zanesville (or 50 minutes east of columbus)and i was on the phone with my girlfriend while i was driving. She was headed in the opposite direction and was right outside of dayton at the time. There is about 100 miles between us at this point. Its at about 11:30 at night and it is a completely clear night and it was very dark when all of the sudden the shy ahead of me lit up bright blue and took over the whole sky and lasted for a few seconds and quickly faded out. At first i suspected lightning but there was something different about it because it was all around me. Right as it faded out my girl friend said on the phone "did you just see something?" and i said "the whole sky just turned blue" and she said it just happened here too. I know that lightning can travel but this was not lightning because it rose from the horizon and over took the sky and at the same moment it happened 100 miles away. What do you think that this could possibly be? I check all the news and internet for anything that could have given an indication of some even in the state that could explain it but i found nothing. What could this possibly be and why? Anything will help....i am just searching for an answer to this strange occurence.
Thanks,

Ashles · 27th October 2004, 10:00 AM

Easy - it was lightning and his girlfriend was in a motel nearby with his best friend.

Also is he not aware that being on a mobile phone while driving is dangerous and selfish? He doesn't deserve an answer.

Anathema · 27th October 2004, 10:04 AM

Did he give an exact data and time? That's the best start.

An event that large couldn't have been noticed by only two people.

Nearby Wright-Patterson AFB is one of the largest Air Force installations in the world, and may have been testing something related to military ops.

Ipecac · 27th October 2004, 10:23 AM

Sounds like lightning to me. He just doesn't want to think it was something so mundane.

Anathema · 27th October 2004, 10:26 AM

I'd look into "photo flash bombs" --- the US Air Force has been using them since WWII. With the proximity of WPAFB, it seems like a plausible explanation. With the right kind of cloud cover, you might be able to produce such an effect.

Again, though, others would have to have seen it.

Soapy Sam · 27th October 2004, 10:34 AM

"Its at about 11:30 at night and it is a completely clear night and it was very dark"

I agree with anathema. We need a date. There are records of the weather in the area I assume.

I also agree with Ashles that there must have been other sightings over such a huge area.

Check with local newspapers or police despatchers for similar reports?

The air force base obviously should be checked.

100 miles is too far for lightning as bright as this in both places.

Were the cellphones equipped with cameras? Is it possible what one saw was actually relayed by the phones in some way?

Ashles · 27th October 2004, 10:54 AM

Of course bearing in mind how often people use mobile phones the chance of some form of coincidence would be more than possible:

He sees sheet lightning, while, simultaneously she sees a different lightning strike - or a powerful bulb blows near her, or a firework or something similar.
Any two events that could make the sky seem to light up momentarily if seen at the same moment (or even within a second or two) by two people in different locations would seem quite impressive and strange.

They say it lasted a few seconds but why was the question "did you just see something" instead of "Can you see that".
This makes me think it sounds like more of a flash than a sustained light.

NarrMaster · 27th October 2004, 11:18 AM

My friend saw something like this Sunday night around 11:30 too!
Holy Snap!

I remember him vividly stating it was a blue flash, followed what looked like a trail of some sort. He was in Fairmont, WV, not exactly close to OH. Me thinks something happened.

Ashles · 27th October 2004, 11:28 AM

Quote:

My friend saw something like this Sunday night around 11:30 too!

We don't know when the event happened.

Nobody said it was on Sunday.

NarrMaster · 27th October 2004, 11:37 AM

Sorry, got excited, jumped the gun because I found some stuff on it. Apparently, it was a meteor.

Behold: Parkersburg, WV news

Major news about Minor Objects. Scroll down for this one.

Anathema · 27th October 2004, 11:55 AM

Well, that would seem to wrap it up. It's just speculation, but Sunday seems like a likely time for "college sweethearts" to be heading home in separate directions.

I believe we have us winner.

wipeout · 27th October 2004, 01:10 PM

I was going to suggest it was a meteor. Damn, too late!

Zombified · 27th October 2004, 01:23 PM

It may have been related to the power grid in the area, such as arcing at a substation, a transformer or something like that. I saw a relatively small powerline transformer catch fire once and it produced an extremely bright blue-white light, much like lightning, that persisted for a couple of seconds.

If you can find the date, the power company in the area should have records.

Edit to add: oops, missed the meteor explanation. Gotta read the whole thread. I'll leave my guess in case there are any more strange lights.

Soapy Sam · 27th October 2004, 02:00 PM

A meteor is certainly feasible. Surprising if there are no more reports though.

Brown · 27th October 2004, 02:13 PM

I seem to remember that one of the surprising discoveries made by weather satellites was that distant lightning strikes often occur simultaneously, and this happens far more often than would happen by chance. Could it be that two bolts materialized many miles from one another at the same time?

kittynh · 27th October 2004, 03:33 PM

It's just nice to have someone ask me a question that isn't about seeing little green men and how can they convince people they really were abducted?

I've passed on your explainations. I think I would have liked to have seen this! thanks!

Soapy Sam · 28th October 2004, 10:17 AM

Kittynh- how / why are you the recipient of these questions anyway?

Dr Adequate · 28th October 2004, 10:39 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by kittynh
I know that lightning can travel but this was not lightning because it rose from the horizon.

Lightning does in fact strike from the ground into the sky.

Hellbound · 28th October 2004, 11:03 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Dr Adequate
Lightning does in fact strike from the ground into the sky.

Well, the ones that include the ground, anyway

Some goes cloud to cloud, depending on type.

In the summer especially, you get heat and sheet lightning. These occur when lightning flashes are either above coulds or over the horizon (where the actual bolt isn't visible), and appear to be bright flashes across the sky. Seems a more reasonable explanation. The distance is a factor, though, but seems reasonable that a high-altitude strike could be visible for quite a ways.

geni · 28th October 2004, 11:34 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Soapy Sam
Kittynh- how / why are you the recipient of these questions anyway?

She listed as an expert on www.about.com

wipeout · 28th October 2004, 12:33 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Brown
I seem to remember that one of the surprising discoveries made by weather satellites was that distant lightning strikes often occur simultaneously, and this happens far more often than would happen by chance. Could it be that two bolts materialized many miles from one another at the same time?

I think I've seen space shuttle footage of strikes seemingly setting each other off in sequence while many miles apart.

kittynh · 28th October 2004, 03:43 PM

I'm a UFO alien expert! Cool!

And I think I'm the only one that is a skeptic!

I wrote an article for Claus and his little site awhile ago explaining how I ended up doing it. It's great fun!

http://www.skepticreport.com/ufo/guinea.htm

of course, I'm NOT an expert, so I need a lot of help from real experts!

Soapy Sam · 28th October 2004, 04:48 PM

Kittynh-
I just linked to about.com. The only UFO reports I found were by someone named Loy Lawhon. The general tenor of the site seems pretty gullible in UFO terms.

I also acquired 24 copies of 5 different tracking cookies. (Deleted by Pestpatrol).

So where is your stuff to be found? Or does it take the form of PMs between you and the questioner?

kittynh · 28th October 2004, 04:54 PM

http://www.allexperts.com/

Zombified · 28th October 2004, 05:06 PM

Is the "Earth Sister" listed as a UFO expert the same one we had a little debate with a couple of weeks ago?

Edit to add: must be, she links to the same web page.

Soapy Sam · 28th October 2004, 05:54 PM

Duh!

It would help if I learned to read.

Yeah_Right · 28th October 2004, 07:32 PM

Definitely hard to tell what the thing was since I wasn't present and viewing the momentary light. Could have even been plasma phenomena for all I know.

Kitty Chan · 28th October 2004, 07:33 PM

Kitty et el

I posted a question in the have you seen anything you cant explain in our Paranormal forum.

any guesses, I really dont know, is there a way I could draw it scan in and post it? What would I save it as?

Dr Adequate · 29th October 2004, 02:34 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Zombified
Is the "Earth Sister" listed as a UFO expert the same one we had a little debate with a couple of weeks ago?

Edit to add: must be, she links to the same web page.

With "experts" like that, who needs gullible fools?

27th October 2004, 09:54 AM	#1
kittynh The Hupsu Detective auctioneer Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: If I told the aliens could find me, and you know they read this forum Posts: 22,707	Help needed! Strange lights! here is my latest askanexpert question. I have a few guesses about it, but would like some other input. thanks! here it is.... Strange Light Question: I have a question about something that happened to me just the other night that i cant explain in the sky. Im from ohio and i was with my girlfriend in columbus for the evening. Well she lives in dayton and i go to school near zanesville which leaves about 2 1/2 hours between us and columbus is in the middle. Well i was driving back to college and was right outside of Zanesville (or 50 minutes east of columbus)and i was on the phone with my girlfriend while i was driving. She was headed in the opposite direction and was right outside of dayton at the time. There is about 100 miles between us at this point. Its at about 11:30 at night and it is a completely clear night and it was very dark when all of the sudden the shy ahead of me lit up bright blue and took over the whole sky and lasted for a few seconds and quickly faded out. At first i suspected lightning but there was something different about it because it was all around me. Right as it faded out my girl friend said on the phone "did you just see something?" and i said "the whole sky just turned blue" and she said it just happened here too. I know that lightning can travel but this was not lightning because it rose from the horizon and over took the sky and at the same moment it happened 100 miles away. What do you think that this could possibly be? I check all the news and internet for anything that could have given an indication of some even in the state that could explain it but i found nothing. What could this possibly be and why? Anything will help....i am just searching for an answer to this strange occurence. Thanks,
	__________________ WWW.BADALIEN.ORG - not all the buttons work yet, and the science content is coming...but it's ALIVE!

27th October 2004, 10:00 AM	#2
Ashles Pith Artist Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: The '80s Posts: 8,711	Easy - it was lightning and his girlfriend was in a motel nearby with his best friend. Also is he not aware that being on a mobile phone while driving is dangerous and selfish? He doesn't deserve an answer.
	__________________ With extraordinary few exceptions no educated person in the history of Western Civilization from the third century B.C. onward believed that the earth was flat. - Jeffrey Burton Russell No one "proved" that a bumblebee can't fly. What was shown was that a certain simple mathematical model wasn't adequate or appropriate - Ivars Peterson

27th October 2004, 10:04 AM	#3
Anathema Muse Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 672	Did he give an exact data and time? That's the best start. An event that large couldn't have been noticed by only two people. Nearby Wright-Patterson AFB is one of the largest Air Force installations in the world, and may have been testing something related to military ops.
Anathema Muse Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 672	__________________ "The language and concepts contained herein are guaranteed not to cause eternal torment in the place where the guy with the horns and pointed stick conducts his business." -- Frank Zappa "Seatbelts. They help keep you not dead." -- LostAngeles "Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword" -- Matthew 26:52 (King James Version)

27th October 2004, 10:23 AM	#4
Ipecac Graduate Poster Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 1,852	Sounds like lightning to me. He just doesn't want to think it was something so mundane.
Ipecac Graduate Poster Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 1,852	__________________ www.taste-of-ipecac.blogspot.com

27th October 2004, 10:26 AM	#5
Anathema Muse Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 672	I'd look into "photo flash bombs" --- the US Air Force has been using them since WWII. With the proximity of WPAFB, it seems like a plausible explanation. With the right kind of cloud cover, you might be able to produce such an effect. Again, though, others would have to have seen it.
Anathema Muse Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 672	__________________ "The language and concepts contained herein are guaranteed not to cause eternal torment in the place where the guy with the horns and pointed stick conducts his business." -- Frank Zappa "Seatbelts. They help keep you not dead." -- LostAngeles "Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword" -- Matthew 26:52 (King James Version)

27th October 2004, 10:34 AM	#6
Soapy Sam NLH Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 25,885	"Its at about 11:30 at night and it is a completely clear night and it was very dark" I agree with anathema. We need a date. There are records of the weather in the area I assume. I also agree with Ashles that there must have been other sightings over such a huge area. Check with local newspapers or police despatchers for similar reports? The air force base obviously should be checked. 100 miles is too far for lightning as bright as this in both places. Were the cellphones equipped with cameras? Is it possible what one saw was actually relayed by the phones in some way?
Soapy Sam NLH Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 25,885

27th October 2004, 10:54 AM	#7
Ashles Pith Artist Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: The '80s Posts: 8,711	Of course bearing in mind how often people use mobile phones the chance of some form of coincidence would be more than possible: He sees sheet lightning, while, simultaneously she sees a different lightning strike - or a powerful bulb blows near her, or a firework or something similar. Any two events that could make the sky seem to light up momentarily if seen at the same moment (or even within a second or two) by two people in different locations would seem quite impressive and strange. They say it lasted a few seconds but why was the question "did you just see something" instead of "Can you see that". This makes me think it sounds like more of a flash than a sustained light.
	__________________ With extraordinary few exceptions no educated person in the history of Western Civilization from the third century B.C. onward believed that the earth was flat. - Jeffrey Burton Russell No one "proved" that a bumblebee can't fly. What was shown was that a certain simple mathematical model wasn't adequate or appropriate - Ivars Peterson

27th October 2004, 11:18 AM	#8
NarrMaster Scholar Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 55	My friend saw this too... My friend saw something like this Sunday night around 11:30 too! Holy Snap! I remember him vividly stating it was a blue flash, followed what looked like a trail of some sort. He was in Fairmont, WV, not exactly close to OH. Me thinks something happened.
NarrMaster Scholar Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 55	__________________ <SMALL>TUCKER CARLSON: You had John Kerry on your show and you sniff his throne and you're accusing us of partisan hackery? JON STEWART: Absolutely. CARLSON: You've got to be kidding me. He comes on and you... STEWART: You're on CNN. The show that leads into me is puppets making crank phone calls. What is wrong with you? - 10/15/04, Crossfire- CNN</SMALL>

27th October 2004, 11:28 AM	#9
Ashles Pith Artist Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: The '80s Posts: 8,711	Quote: My friend saw something like this Sunday night around 11:30 too! We don't know when the event happened. Nobody said it was on Sunday.
	__________________ With extraordinary few exceptions no educated person in the history of Western Civilization from the third century B.C. onward believed that the earth was flat. - Jeffrey Burton Russell No one "proved" that a bumblebee can't fly. What was shown was that a certain simple mathematical model wasn't adequate or appropriate - Ivars Peterson

27th October 2004, 11:37 AM	#10
NarrMaster Scholar Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 55	Sorry, got excited, jumped the gun because I found some stuff on it. Apparently, it was a meteor. Behold: Parkersburg, WV news Major news about Minor Objects. Scroll down for this one.
NarrMaster Scholar Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 55	__________________ <SMALL>TUCKER CARLSON: You had John Kerry on your show and you sniff his throne and you're accusing us of partisan hackery? JON STEWART: Absolutely. CARLSON: You've got to be kidding me. He comes on and you... STEWART: You're on CNN. The show that leads into me is puppets making crank phone calls. What is wrong with you? - 10/15/04, Crossfire- CNN</SMALL>

27th October 2004, 11:55 AM	#11
Anathema Muse Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 672	Well, that would seem to wrap it up. It's just speculation, but Sunday seems like a likely time for "college sweethearts" to be heading home in separate directions. I believe we have us winner.
Anathema Muse Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 672	__________________ "The language and concepts contained herein are guaranteed not to cause eternal torment in the place where the guy with the horns and pointed stick conducts his business." -- Frank Zappa "Seatbelts. They help keep you not dead." -- LostAngeles "Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword" -- Matthew 26:52 (King James Version)

27th October 2004, 01:10 PM	#12
wipeout Graduate Poster Join Date: Nov 2003 Posts: 1,182	I was going to suggest it was a meteor. Damn, too late!
wipeout Graduate Poster Join Date: Nov 2003 Posts: 1,182

27th October 2004, 01:23 PM	#13
Zombified Back From The Dead Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Inside my brain Posts: 1,373	It may have been related to the power grid in the area, such as arcing at a substation, a transformer or something like that. I saw a relatively small powerline transformer catch fire once and it produced an extremely bright blue-white light, much like lightning, that persisted for a couple of seconds. If you can find the date, the power company in the area should have records. Edit to add: oops, missed the meteor explanation. Gotta read the whole thread. I'll leave my guess in case there are any more strange lights.

27th October 2004, 02:00 PM	#14
Soapy Sam NLH Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 25,885	A meteor is certainly feasible. Surprising if there are no more reports though.
Soapy Sam NLH Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 25,885

27th October 2004, 02:13 PM	#15
Brown Penultimate Amazing Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Twin Cities, Canada Posts: 12,167	I seem to remember that one of the surprising discoveries made by weather satellites was that distant lightning strikes often occur simultaneously, and this happens far more often than would happen by chance. Could it be that two bolts materialized many miles from one another at the same time?

27th October 2004, 03:33 PM	#16
kittynh The Hupsu Detective auctioneer Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: If I told the aliens could find me, and you know they read this forum Posts: 22,707	It's just nice to have someone ask me a question that isn't about seeing little green men and how can they convince people they really were abducted? I've passed on your explainations. I think I would have liked to have seen this! thanks!
	__________________ WWW.BADALIEN.ORG - not all the buttons work yet, and the science content is coming...but it's ALIVE!

28th October 2004, 10:17 AM	#17
Soapy Sam NLH Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 25,885	Kittynh- how / why are you the recipient of these questions anyway?
Soapy Sam NLH Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 25,885

28th October 2004, 10:39 AM	#18
Dr Adequate Banned Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Waiting Long Enough By The River Posts: 17,897	Re: Help needed! Strange lights! Quote: Originally posted by kittynh I know that lightning can travel but this was not lightning because it rose from the horizon. Lightning does in fact strike from the ground into the sky.

28th October 2004, 11:03 AM	#19
Hellbound Abiogenic Spongiform Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: In a handbasket Posts: 8,930	Re: Re: Help needed! Strange lights! Quote: Originally posted by Dr Adequate Lightning does in fact strike from the ground into the sky. Well, the ones that include the ground, anyway Some goes cloud to cloud, depending on type. In the summer especially, you get heat and sheet lightning. These occur when lightning flashes are either above coulds or over the horizon (where the actual bolt isn't visible), and appear to be bright flashes across the sky. Seems a more reasonable explanation. The distance is a factor, though, but seems reasonable that a high-altitude strike could be visible for quite a ways.

28th October 2004, 11:34 AM	#20
geni Anti-homeopathy illuminati member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: UK Posts: 26,574	Quote: Originally posted by Soapy Sam Kittynh- how / why are you the recipient of these questions anyway? She listed as an expert on www.about.com

28th October 2004, 12:33 PM	#21
wipeout Graduate Poster Join Date: Nov 2003 Posts: 1,182	Quote: Originally posted by Brown I seem to remember that one of the surprising discoveries made by weather satellites was that distant lightning strikes often occur simultaneously, and this happens far more often than would happen by chance. Could it be that two bolts materialized many miles from one another at the same time? I think I've seen space shuttle footage of strikes seemingly setting each other off in sequence while many miles apart.
wipeout Graduate Poster Join Date: Nov 2003 Posts: 1,182

28th October 2004, 03:43 PM	#22
kittynh The Hupsu Detective auctioneer Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: If I told the aliens could find me, and you know they read this forum Posts: 22,707	I'm a UFO alien expert! Cool! And I think I'm the only one that is a skeptic! I wrote an article for Claus and his little site awhile ago explaining how I ended up doing it. It's great fun! http://www.skepticreport.com/ufo/guinea.htm of course, I'm NOT an expert, so I need a lot of help from real experts!
	__________________ WWW.BADALIEN.ORG - not all the buttons work yet, and the science content is coming...but it's ALIVE!

28th October 2004, 04:48 PM	#23
Soapy Sam NLH Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 25,885	Kittynh- I just linked to about.com. The only UFO reports I found were by someone named Loy Lawhon. The general tenor of the site seems pretty gullible in UFO terms. I also acquired 24 copies of 5 different tracking cookies. (Deleted by Pestpatrol). So where is your stuff to be found? Or does it take the form of PMs between you and the questioner?
Soapy Sam NLH Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 25,885

28th October 2004, 04:54 PM	#24
kittynh The Hupsu Detective auctioneer Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: If I told the aliens could find me, and you know they read this forum Posts: 22,707	http://www.allexperts.com/
	__________________ WWW.BADALIEN.ORG - not all the buttons work yet, and the science content is coming...but it's ALIVE!

28th October 2004, 05:06 PM	#25
Zombified Back From The Dead Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Inside my brain Posts: 1,373	Is the "Earth Sister" listed as a UFO expert the same one we had a little debate with a couple of weeks ago? Edit to add: must be, she links to the same web page.

28th October 2004, 05:54 PM	#26
Soapy Sam NLH Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 25,885	Duh! It would help if I learned to read.
Soapy Sam NLH Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 25,885

28th October 2004, 07:32 PM	#27
Yeah_Right Muse Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 640	Definitely hard to tell what the thing was since I wasn't present and viewing the momentary light. Could have even been plasma phenomena for all I know.
Yeah_Right Muse Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 640	__________________ I didn't believe in reincarnation in a past life either. CEO_ESQ:"Something about pyramids seems to cause a shutdown of critical faculties in certain people."

28th October 2004, 07:33 PM	#28
Kitty Chan Muse Join Date: May 2004 Location: up north in Alberta Posts: 826	Kitty et el I posted a question in the have you seen anything you cant explain in our Paranormal forum. any guesses, I really dont know, is there a way I could draw it scan in and post it? What would I save it as?
	__________________ Havent thought of one yet but, when I do . . . I will put it here How about, Labels are for soup cans

29th October 2004, 02:34 AM	#29
Dr Adequate Banned Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Waiting Long Enough By The River Posts: 17,897	Quote: Originally posted by Zombified Is the "Earth Sister" listed as a UFO expert the same one we had a little debate with a couple of weeks ago? Edit to add: must be, she links to the same web page. With "experts" like that, who needs gullible fools?