TOP 10: Light phenomena that have puzzled scientists a lot

Photo: University of Alaska Fairbanks

10th place. Sprites, jets, and elves

Usually these phenomena are easier to capture on an ultra-sensitive camera, although red sprites can be seen in the atmosphere and with the naked eye. Jets are usually blue in color and often resemble lightning shooting up from the clouds. Elves, in turn, appear above thunderclouds, are flattened and usually reddish in color, like sprites.

All these three optical phenomena (types of lightning) are formed in the upper atmosphere, which is why few people know about them. Researchers often encountered them while searching for other objects, such as watching a meteor shower. As technology advances, scientists are discovering an increasing number of atmospheric phenomena that no one previously suspected…

Photo: Mary Evans

9th place. Hessdalen Lights)

This glow was named after the Hessdalen valley from Norway, where it was first noticed. Mysterious lights are still not fully understood, but it is known that they come in different colors, saturation and duration of radiation. Many communities, including ufologists from the Norwegian organization UFO-Norge, have shown considerable interest in this phenomenon, but there is still not enough information about it.

The phenomenon occurs in the lower atmosphere, which is very different from other similar optical phenomena that are usually found much higher above the earth (the higher, the more often). The hessdalen lights are double luminous objects of a rather unpredictable nature. In 2007, a report on this phenomenon was published, which used more advanced cameras and intensity graphs, which helped in the formation of new hypotheses. Previously, Hessdalen lights were often confused with man-made light sources.

The results of the report helped us understand what exactly these objects consist of-gas and dust. As it turned out, the Norwegian glow is associated with the ingress of dust into a cloud of gas (gases). The dust glows when it burns in the gas until this process is exhausted, having used up all the fuel for the reaction.Gorenje

Photo: Jody Wissing

8th place. Martha's will-o ' - the-wisps

As the name suggests, these lights are most often seen in the area of the Texas town of Marfa (Marfa, Texas). The inhabitants of Marfa have long been accustomed to these doomsday events, and many of the Americans even believe that they are friendly ghosts. You can see the mysterious lights at any time of the day, including the day, but since 2003, tourists can only do this at a separate time for observation. It is said that the will-o ' - the-wisps of Marfa were seen here in the days of the first cowboys who grazed their flocks on the wild prairies of the West.

Skeptics believe that the mysterious optical phenomenon is associated with the headlights of cars passing on the local highway, or with lights that are used in campsites in the vicinity of the city. Others believe that this light phenomenon can be explained by periodic temperature fluctuations typical of Marfa, and the reaction of the atmosphere to them, since this city is located at an altitude of 1429 meters above sea level. According to this theory, warm and cold air reflect light from different sources in such a way that it seems that they are moving lights.

Photo: Legends of America

7th place. Ghostly light of the Ozarks (Ozark Spook Light)

This phenomenon can be observed in the state of Oklahoma. Spectacular lights are also easy to see from the East, so in America it received another name-Hornet Ghost light (Hornet Spook Light) in honor of the nearest town of hornet, Missouri (Hornet, Missouri). This luminous object can be of various sizes, but is almost always orange in color. No one has yet been able to determine the exact origin of the phenomenon, although it has been observed in this region for more than a century - since the ethnic cleansing of native Americans.

There are several versions of the origin of the ghostly light of the Ozarks, and all of them are somewhat similar to the theories about the will-o ' - the-wisps of Martha. People believe that this glow may be due to light from cars, billboards, or a gas leak. Legends about these lights usually describe stories in which the characters lose something and go searching in the dark with lanterns or torches. Another local myth tells of an escaped couple of lovers who were captured by hunters. The fugitives jumped into the river and drowned, and their souls have been floating around the Ozarks ever since.

Photo: Charles Braswell Jr.

6th place. The lights of the mountain range brown mountain (Brown Mountain)

In North Carolina, there are many places where you can easily observe these mysterious lights. The first researchers who studied the curious phenomenon initially believed that it was just the light from the headlights reflected in the air. This common explanation was later refuted, since the glow was also seen after a heavy flood, when there were no cars (or boats) on local roads.

Some skeptics believe that in the area of the brown mountain range, in fact, there are 2 separate phenomena that can be observed in 2 different places. For example, From the Wiseman's View observation deck, the glow looks as if it comes from the forest, and somewhat resembles a game with hand lanterns. An Indian tale tells of the ghosts of wives searching for their husbands who have fallen in battle. If this myth is related to the lights of the brown mountain mountains, it means that they have nothing to do with lanterns and tourists, which in those days were not in sight.

It is generally believed that the lights of brown mountain range appear in the sky, and not in the middle of the trees. At one time, people thought that the light came from a locomotive plying the hills, which explained why the locals often watched this glow every night at the same time. However, the train in question differs in that it has 2 front lights, not one. Later, old written reports revealed that the brown mountain lights began to appear in the area around the same time as the introduction of electric lighting. Perhaps the light from the lanterns is reflected in the clouds and for certain reasons is visible in specific places, where it appears and disappears.

Photo: The Big Study

5th place. The Ghost ship of Chaleur)

According to one legend, the Ghost of a pirate schooner sunk for the abduction of two girls from an Indian tribe still appears in the area of the canadian Bay of Shaler, where this terrible event took place. Eyewitnesses say that on the mythical deck, the ghosts of the crew of this ship still appear, and they allegedly work hard, lowering and raising the sails, as if alive. Scientists believe that it's all about the release of natural gas, but local residents say that the optical phenomenon has been observed here since the sinking of the ship of captain Craig, which is clearly not without reason in their opinion.

Science is still unable to give a clear explanation of this phenomenon. Some sailors tried to swim to the Ghost schooner, but each time it moved away from the adventurers, never letting them get too close to it. No optical devices allow you to see more details than you can see with the naked eye. The schooner behaves in different ways-it sometimes freezes in place for a long time, then appears and disappears suddenly and very quickly.

There is a version that it's all about the gases that are released by submarines. Another theory is related to marine life that has bioluminescence. However, this assumption was recently refuted by scientists themselves, since the Ghost ship of Shaler appears above the water even in winter, when the water in this Bay freezes, and such life activity is out of the question.

Photo: Modiddy

4th place. Fata morgana

Most often, these deceptive visions appear above the water, and sometimes they are quite confusing to observers. However, experienced navigators have learned to recognize these optical phenomena and are not deceived by them. To explain this phenomenon is simple-objects on the water are simply reflected in its surface and the lower layers of the atmosphere, turn over and stretch in the sea mirror, like rubber. Most often, the Fata Morgana resembles a ship or an island.

Fata Morgans are also found on land – as a result of reflection and refraction of the sun's rays in the lower atmosphere, they appear on the horizon. There is a version that the legend of the famous Ghost ship flying Dutchman, hovering over the water, appeared just because of the Fata Morgana.

Photo: Brocken Inaglory

3rd place. Green ray

This phenomenon can be seen at a certain point at sunset or dawn, when a green glow appears around the sun or more often above it with an effect resembling a Fata Morgana. The easiest way to see this ray is when observing the sun near water, provided the air is clean enough. Occasionally this outbreak is displayed in blue color instead of the more typical green.

Photo: Gopherboy6956

2nd place. Arageli

Paraleli in fact can be compared to halo, although apparently it's more of a couple of crosses from the right and left of the sun than a huge rim. Most often, these rainbow crosses or highlights are at an angle of 22 degrees relative to the sun. This phenomenon occurs due to ice crystals that are located in the atmosphere and reflect the sun's rays at the right angle.

With parahelium is associated a curious event that occurred during the launch of solar dynamics Observatory NASA (Solar Dynamics Observatory, NASA). On the day of the launch of this ship directly into the path of his flight as if there was another arageli. The solar dynamics Observatory not only destroyed this optical phenomenon, but also caused ice crystals to rotate in the air at such a speed that it eventually triggered a bright flash of light, and this glow followed the Observatory for some time until it left the earth's atmosphere. Scientists were not immediately able to explain the appearance of a secondary optical phenomenon, but later still figured out its causes.

Photo: Tillea

1-place. Moonbow

As in the case of ordinary rainbows and paragelias, for this phenomenon to occur, there must be an increased concentration of water in the air, otherwise the lunar rainbow cannot be seen. The moon, in turn, should be in the full moon phase or very close to it in order to reflect as much sunlight as possible. And it should not be too high above the horizon to highlight the water in the air. Lunar rainbows are easiest to observe near waterfalls during the full moon, when it is just beginning to get dark. By the way, there are even double lunar rainbows, and it looks incredibly beautiful.