This is really SPOOKY!

I'm with Gore on this one...............Ball Lightning, but then, I did study meteorology at university.

Doesn't look like any supernatural phenomenon I have ever heard described.

Aeallison: It appeared to go up the stairs..............any dirty marks on the carpet, walls or ceiling?

Just a thought

EDIT: Lightning is not well understood.............take "imps" for example, they go upwards from big thunderstorms and are red in colour (usually).........also, ball lightning can change colour.

EDIT: Come to think of it, I think the "imps" are actually called "sprites"

OK- Those are the responses I was looking for.

The .gif file I attached, I also created. I took a capture of the final frame from aeallison's original video, and created a new file in Photoshop. I then made 31 more. I added a size 10 lens flare to the first image, and then moved it slightly in each following frame. I strung them together in Imageready, thus resulting in the moving .gif that appears to be just like the orignal. Rule #1 of de-bunking myths: If you can't disprove it, re-create it.

aeallison---

I'm not meaning to insult or defame you or your friend ;)

Nihil---

Anything I've ever read about Ball lightning or "Foo Fighters" has reported that they are fast moving, and have very directed and specific flight paths, just like an arrow. They tend to just shoot in straight lines...

And Gore---

I do believe in the paranormal. I believe in ghosts, ufos, abnormal creatures (chupacabra, Nessie, etc.), the pwer of the mind, etc... I used to be a faithful listener of Art Bell when he was on the air, and I've been studying parapsychology on my own since high school. Just because I don't believe in a specific instance doesn't mean I don't believe. I am just convinced that this is a hoax.

Hi 11001001,

Ball lightning is a very strange phenomenon that was only scientifically accepted in the 1960's. It is another example like "mega lightning/sprites" of our lack of knowledge of the phenomenon.

Your "foo fighters" may or may not be ball lightning.............you can get some interesting electrostatic discharges along the wings of aircraft, for example.

I stand open to correction, but I was always under the impression that these "foo fighters" were only observed at altitude, and not at ground level?

I would have some questions for Aeallison:

1. What is the floor of the premises made of?..............wood?
2. Are there any copper water pipes or power supply cables running under the floor and up the stairs?
3. What are the floor coverings made of..........like natural or synthetic materials?

Cheers
:)

EDIT: From what I have heard about ground level ball lightning it is not fast nor does it neccessarily travel in straight lines..........it seems more to follow electromagnetic or geomagnetic influences. A bit like regular lightning and lightning conductors?

An interesting phenomenon, ball lighning/static aroruas (sp?) are found in many diverse areas.

I have seen an example of ball lightning once, on a C-130 in flight. It moved lazily down the center of the aircraft and then disipated against the forward bulkhead. It didn't cause any problems, but no one was willing to touch it either.

I have also seen aroruas (sp? again) gather on the horns of cattle in a field. It did not seem to effect the cattle at all.
I have also generated these on antenna's while transmitting. The temperature, humidity, and other various conditions must be perfect to be able to do so.

Quote:

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Aeallison: It appeared to go up the stairs..............any dirty marks on the carpet, walls or ceiling?

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No.

Quote:

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1. What is the floor of the premises made of?..............wood?
2. Are there any copper water pipes or power supply cables running under the floor and up the stairs?
3. What are the floor coverings made of..........like natural or synthetic materials?

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1. Wood floor, with new Jute Backed Carpet, not rubberbacked.
2. No.
3. Synthetic.

I will also add that several times I came in in the morning and smelled an "ozone" like odor. This happened in mid winter too. Not a lot of lightning here that time of year. The store is now a small discount grocery store and some mornings I have to pick items up off of the floor when I come in. Random items that shouldn't just fall from the shelves.
We have lovingly come to refer to our friend as "Orbie". Orbie doesn't seem to be malicious, just mischevious.

Be greatful the thing is a prankster taking things off the shelves. My aunt's friend bought a house from an old Sea Captain, and there was a picture of him on the wall that was taken before he died. One day she was sitting in the chair, and the picture floated off the wall, and shattered on the other side of the room on the floor.

She also can hear chains being dragged across the basement floor. Her dog, won't go near the Basement.

Aellison,

Maybe the store is located near or over a strong electromagnetic field. Funny things can happen in those fields, many of which seem paranormal/ghostly. Do a little research on that area.

Hmmm,

Well the wood floor will not insulate, neither will the jute backing, and synthetic carpets are pretty supportive of static electricity.
You say there are no cables or pipes, what about under the building? or in the basement (if there is one)?

The smell of ozone is consistent with electrical activity as well.

I guess I would be inclined to borrow a metal detector and see if I could detect any anomolies along its "flightpath". A magnetometer would be better, but a little hard to get hold of:)

Another thing that might be of interest, and you might be able to borrow, seeeing that school is almost out, is a clockwork thermometer/barometer/hygrometer. The kind of device that has a paper chart and pens on it that keep a record over time. It would be interesting to see if it showed any sudden anomalies?

I have been messing with the clip (contrast on full, brightness right down) and have noticed that it proceeds at quite a leisurely pace, up until about halfway along the room where it does a quick double take, changes in colour and GROWS in size...........it then continues, getting smaller as one would expect with perspective. Strange.

I don't know what your hygeine rules are but I would be inclined to try it out with a dog, as Gore has hinted at. They are far more sensitive to anything paranormal than we are, and might well react if taken into the store.

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I would be inclined to try it out with a dog, as Gore has hinted at. They are far more sensitive to anything paranormal than we are, and might well react if taken into the store.

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I brought one of my dogs in here once before we opened the grocery store. It didn't seem to be afraid of anything, but did want me to hold it while it was here. If I put it on the floor it would jump up on me to be held some more. I might try it again on a day we are closed with one of my more curious dogs that tends not to like being held.

We had the floor up once. nothing under it. no crawl space either. It is a very old building, say circa 1800's.

open the *.gif with fireworks, and move up and down the layers. See if u can notice anything. Its defenitely not a laser pointer. It is most likely a natural phenomenon...I.E. ball lightning. The center of the orb is very hot and bright. The thing itself is much smaller than it appears...just the lens on the camera shows it bigger. It moves like a lightnening at least...not as shaky but still, it does shake a bit. Something that doesn't make sense is....how come its red, in a black and white video camera? If it was recorded, it would appear black/white, not red!?....unless somebody with some extra time in their hands decided to freak out the boss? Any other employees that work there, whom might play around with the camera and the videotapes? There's 32 frames in the pic, each being the movement of the orb.
nihil it doesn't change color to me, it just becomes blury and then back to normal.


EDIT. Screw the gif :)...in the video it seems to switch from red to black and white, then back to red, then back to black/white.