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  1. #11
    Chris L Peterson's Avatar
    Chris L Peterson Guest

    Default Bright blue light observed in night sky



    On 5 Jun 2006 06:43:10 -0700, "CNJ999" <jbortle@aol.com> wrote:


    That's a good observation. I recall during a large earthquake (and while
    living on a hill overlooking L.A.) seeing many such arcs, and they are
    bright enough to light up a region of the sky very much like the OP
    described.

    Transformer explosions and power line arcs don't go unnoticed by power
    companies. It should be possible to check on.

    _________________________________________________

    Chris L Peterson
    Cloudbait Observatory
    http://www.cloudbait.com

  2. #12
    Robin Wier's Avatar
    Robin Wier Guest

    Default Bright blue light observed in night sky

    "CNJ999" <jbortle@aol.com> wrote in message
    news:1149514990.012165.62320@j55g2000cwa.googlegro ups.com...

    Here in Phoenix, AZ, the city sits on a large, flat valley floor. Intense
    t-storms often produce such events. I refer to them as "blown transformers".
    On rare occasions two "go off" side by side in quick succession. These
    produce a double flash not unlike the OP's observation. At the right
    distance these can easily fill a large portion of the sky with a beautiful
    blue-green hue lasting 1-3 seconds.



  3. #13
    Anonymous AtWork's Avatar
    Anonymous AtWork Guest

    Default Bright blue light observed in night sky

    Robin Wier wrote:

    A blown transformer sounds like a cannon going off, though (I had one
    across the street wake me up at about 3 am a couple years ago). Was
    there any accompanying sound?

  4. #14
    CNJ999's Avatar
    CNJ999 Guest

    Default Bright blue light observed in night sky


    Anonymous AtWork wrote:

    There is audiable sound only if the transformer failure is relatively
    nearby. I've seen their sky show at a distance of around 3-8 miles
    without any sound being heard (I live in an area where such failures
    are relatively common).

    CNJ999


  5. #15
    George's Avatar
    George Guest

    Default Bright blue light observed in night sky


    "Chris L Peterson" <clp@alumni.caltech.edu> wrote in message
    news:bkc8825upn47tndd8hojfr1oajmpb8rvke@4ax.com...

    It was just a thought. I saw a very bright one about a year ago, but I
    don't remember if it had any color other than white. Someone else suggested
    that it could have been a transformer or an electric arc, which seems a
    reasonable explanation, except I don't think he mentioned anything about
    the loud boom that usually accompanies a blown transformer.

    George



  6. #16
    Robert Irvine's Avatar
    Robert Irvine Guest

    Default Bright blue light observed in night sky

    I saw something similar while driving along the freeway one time.

    I finally figured out it was the spark from an electric train, combined
    with a light fog. I only figured it out because the train line ran
    alongside the freeway at one point, and a train just happened to go past
    and make a bit of a spark which lit up the entire area.

    Any train lines (or tram line) in the direction of the flash? There was
    a heavy fog the next morning, so it may have been the start of the fog
    at that time.

    Rob.


    "CNJ999" <jbortle@aol.com> wrote in message
    news:1149514990.012165.62320@j55g2000cwa.googlegro ups.com...



  7. #17
    RandyL's Avatar
    RandyL Guest

    Default Bright blue light observed in night sky

    Frack,
    It could be a lot of things...but I would suspect that the explanations
    with the highest probabilities are either an electrical transformer that
    exploded, a large meteor, or lightening at or below the horizon. My money is
    on the electrical transformer. They can be quite spectacular when the blow.

    Randy L.
    --
    Remember: Any landing that you can
    walk away from, is a landing that you
    can be fined, sued, or prosecuted for.

    "Frackshat" <frackshat@gmail.com> wrote in message
    news:1149475328.062295.88350@i39g2000cwa.googlegro ups.com...



  8. #18
    Lindsay's Avatar
    Lindsay Guest

    Default Bright blue light observed in night sky



    Frackshat wrote:


    The power failed in Mordialloc and Aspendale at about that time...
    And yeah, as others have said, transformers do go off "with a bang", and
    a fantastic blue flash...

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  9. #19
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    I have a question about those iridium flares or whatever they are called how come whenever someone puts they saw a bright flash of light someone writes in that they might have been those flares... from my understanding those flares are just little gleams of light resembling like a shooting star or an actual star or is it actually a BRIGHT light illuminating the sky? I just was unsure of this

  10. #20
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    Yup Iridium Flare are brief flashes/streaks lasting a seconds, deff not bright enough to illuminate surrounding sky area.
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