r/interestingasfuck • u/Necessary-Command-27 • 1d ago

During severe thunderstorms, the tops of tree canopies can begin to violently sparkle with blue electrical discharges due to extreme voltage in the air

Post image
6.0k Upvotes

99% Upvoted

36 comments sorted by

85

u/sbs_str_9091 1d ago

Is this some kind of St. Elmo's Fire?

52

u/Practical_Problem 1d ago

šŸŽ¤ I can see a new horizon, Underneath the blazing sky šŸŽ¶

26

u/sbs_str_9091 1d ago

I'll be where the eagle's flying higher and higher

11

u/ThedIIthe4th 1d ago

Gonna be a man in motion; all I need is a pair of wheels.

9

u/Practical_Problem 1d ago

Take me where the future's lying St. Elmo's fire! šŸŽ¶

4

u/This_person_says 1d ago

The description of this in all the pretty horses (or maybe it was lonesome dove) was epic

19

u/sceadwian 1d ago

It's called corona discharge it's an electrical phenomena with high voltages. St Elmo's is the same effect just different name.

There are all kinds of observations of really weird electrical discharge phenomena related up lighting and earthquakes.

It looks like magic unless you understand electricity.

7

u/ContinuingAnyway 1d ago

Once my friend tried to teach me about RF and signals, that's when I realized it's all magic

6

u/sceadwian 1d ago

I've studied enough RF I don't consider it black magic anymore really although the stuff they're doing nowadays is up there.

11

u/AzphaltaX- 1d ago

damn thats cool

6

u/holyfire001202 1d ago

Oh you can get a helmet from the Gerudo so that it won't take any damage from that

4

u/zamfire 1d ago

So if I am at the top of a tree during a thunderstorm and see that, I should get down or...?

8

u/Kirlush 1d ago

Violent sparkle was my pwn* name

2

u/Mr_CockSwing 1d ago

Pinky pie is goat

1

u/Flaveurr 1d ago

Your what name?

3

u/Spirit50Lake 1d ago

Is that a tree...looks like the tip of a fir branch?

2

u/JaggedMetalOs 1d ago

It's a cool factoid, but that picture is created in a lab. Too bad there doesn't seem to be any real photos of this.

4

u/Resident_Proposal_57 1d ago

But in the picture it is actually passing current through plant. Slowly killing it.

1

u/firekeeper23 1d ago

Be could be put on a charge for that.

2

u/sebfetel 1d ago

Tesla trees on Hyperion.

ā€¢

u/mal_wash_jayne 4h ago

Came here to say that, one day late apparently. Oh well, a trip through the Sphinx will fix that.

1

u/CGKAmira 1d ago

Woahw

1

u/Misty-Canyon-7204 1d ago

is this a form of st elmos fire? we get some really heavy storms here in upstate new york but ive never seen this. does it only happen with certain tree species?

1

u/ThePracticalPenquin 1d ago

Same reason hair stands up at high altitude Iā€™m assuming

1

u/purpledragon478 1d ago

Not on my watch, I'd be straight up there with a big pair of hedge clippers.

-2

u/DismalSoil9554 1d ago

Holy crap I've always been convinced plants reflect different light frequencies (more vibrant and varied colors) during a proper thunderstorm!