Photography & Lightning

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03-31-2005, 03:51 PM
Howie

Photography & Lightning

Although this has relavance to weather I know that many of you who reside mostly in the Artist's corner could offer some help with my photography question/problem.

I want to take photographs of lightning. The only thing I know or have heard is that if you keep the shutter shut you can get a light sensiative one that opens when light apperars. It is all greek to me.
What do I need?

It is not the safest idea I know. No risk no gain right.
My plan is this------> I am going to send a box kite into the air prior to the approaching thunder storm. Although this is one of the most vulnerable times to get struck. :P
Pretty much I am playing Thomas Edison.
I was going to put a good conductor of electricity attached to the kite, attach it to a sand bag and wait.

*Anyone know the best metal for producing a stepleader (SP?) for lightning?

Are there any weather geeks in the Forum?
03-31-2005, 05:16 PM
Peregrinus

A few lightning facts:

--> Most lightning strikes occur either at the beginning or end of a storm.

-->The average lightning strike is six miles long.

-->Lightning reaches 50,000 degrees Fahrenheit, fours times as hot as the sun's surface.

-->A cloud-to-ground lightning channel can be 2 to 10 miles long.

-->Voltage in a cloud-to-ground strike is 100 million to 1 billion volts.

If you want to call "kitty kitty" to something like that, that's your prerogative, but let's just say I won't be joining you for that creative venture. :P
You can catching lighting pictures with high-speed film and a fast shutter speed. You can also do time-lapse which look really cool.
03-31-2005, 09:19 PM
Howie

So why did you avoid the question Peregrinus? I know you know!

Quote:

Originally posted by Peregrinus
Voltage in a cloud-to-ground strike is 100 million to 1 billion volts.

Isn't it more like 15 million volts. Maybe from cloud to cloud, but that seems a bit high.
04-01-2005, 03:54 AM
Peregrinus

[quote]So why did you avoid the question Peregrinus? I know you know!

Quote:

Voltage in a cloud-to-ground strike is 100 million to 1 billion volts.

Isn't it more like 15 million volts. Maybe from cloud to cloud, but that seems a bit high.
Cloud to ground strikes generally have a higher voltage than in-cloud or cloud-to-cloud.
04-01-2005, 03:04 PM
Howie

Quote:

Originally posted by Peregrinus
Aluminum will get you fried well enough, and it should be easier (and cheaper) to find an aluminum ladder than a copper or silver one. And I better not be held accountable!

Great. Nice and light too. Easy to fly on my box kite. :D

And shit the odds of being struck by lighting are one in 615,000 people. I know. I am upping my odds a bit.

Quote:

*cough*Shocked A bit? *cough* [/b]

Howetzer ignores comment. ;)

Quote:

Peregrinus wrote:
Voltage in a cloud-to-ground strike is 100 million to 1 billion volts.[/b]

Isn't it more like 15 million volts. Maybe from cloud to cloud, but that seems a bit high.

Quote:

Cloud to ground strikes generally have a higher voltage than in-cloud or cloud-to-cloud[/b]

O.K. But isn't that still a bit high. One Billion?
It seems from what I have read that it more like from 10 to 120 million volts.
04-02-2005, 07:06 AM
Peregrinus

Quote:

Originally posted by Peregrinus+--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Peregrinus)</div>

Quote:

Voltage in a cloud-to-ground strike is 100 million to 1 billion volts.[/b]

Quote:

Originally posted by Howetzer+--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Howetzer)</div>

Quote:

Isn't it more like 15 million volts. Maybe from cloud to cloud, but that seems a bit high.[/b]

<!--QuoteBegin-Peregrinus@
Cloud to ground strikes generally have a higher voltage than in-cloud or cloud-to-cloud

<!--QuoteBegin-Howetzer
O.K. But isn't that still a bit high. One Billion? *
It seems from what I have read that it more like *from 10 to 120 million volts.

Not having measured the voltage myself, I'm going off of what I've always heard, which is "several hundred million volts." Several hundred million is in the range of "100 million to 1 billion volts". I don't think it matters all that much for your experiment, though. 15 million volts or 150 million volts, if the lightning strikes you, you'll fry. If you're lucky you won't die, but frying is still unpleasant. Btw, have you seen the movie "Powder"? If not, go out and rent it before planting a ladder and box kite in your yard before a thunderstorm. The movie itself is excellent and the last scene (or close to the last scene-- the finale, in any case) involves an impressive display of lightning and some artistic and unrealistic effects of large amounts of electricity on the human body.
04-02-2005, 04:37 PM
Howie

Quote:

Originally posted by Peregrinus
Not having measured the voltage myself, I'm going off of what I've always heard, which is \"several hundred million volts.\" Several hundred million is in the range of \"100 million to 1 billion volts\". I don't think it matters all that much for your experiment, though. 15 million volts or 150 million volts, if the lightning strikes you, you'll fry. If you're lucky you won't die, but frying is still unpleasant. Btw, have you seen the movie \"Powder\"? If not, go out and rent it before planting a ladder and box kite in your yard before a thunderstorm. The movie itself is excellent and the last scene (or close to the last scene-- the finale, in any case) involves an impressive display of lightning and some artistic and unrealistic effects of large amounts of electricity on the human body.

I don't think I have ever heard of that movie. I will have to rent it. Provided I don't become "powder" myself. ;) I guess cremation is my only option. - Save on funeral expenses anyway.
100 years from now....(Hey grandpa, that guy up there on the mantle, in that urn, isn't that the quack that believed he could be awake in his dreams? Everyone has a good laugh and goes back to eating dinner.
All kidding aside there is also a new release you nead to see. It is called, "What the Bleep do we know?" Just as I spelled it. I know you would find it interesting. :D
04-02-2005, 05:26 PM
nina

Quote:

Originally posted by Peregrinus
Btw, have you seen the movie \"Powder\"? *If not, go out and rent it before planting a ladder and box kite in your yard before a thunderstorm. *The movie itself is excellent and the last scene (or close to the last scene-- the finale, in any case) involves an impressive display of lightning and some artistic and unrealistic effects of large amounts of electricity on the human body.

Ohhhhh!!! That is SUCH a good movie. I love it. :D Rent it Howie.
04-04-2005, 05:44 AM
Amethyst Star

Quote:

Originally posted by lucidnina+--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(lucidnina)</div>

Quote:

<!--QuoteBegin-Peregrinus

Quote:

Btw, have you seen the movie \"Powder\"? If not, go out and rent it before planting a ladder and box kite in your yard before a thunderstorm. The movie itself is excellent and the last scene (or close to the last scene-- the finale, in any case) involves an impressive display of lightning and some artistic and unrealistic effects of large amounts of electricity on the human body.

Ohhhhh!!! That is SUCH a good movie. I love it. :D Rent it Howie.[/b]

Agreed. Aw, man! I haven't seen that movie in a long time. Good Jeff Goldblum film, too.
04-04-2005, 03:07 PM
Tornado Joe

Hey Howe!

I thought you might find something helpful in this article (I only skimmed through it, so I'm not sure how much of it you know and don't know already)

> Lightning Trigger photography <
04-04-2005, 03:16 PM
Howie

Quote:

Originally posted by Tornado Joe
Hey Howe!

I thought you might find something helpful in this article (I only skimmed through it, so I'm not sure how much of it you know and don't know already)

> Lightning Trigger photography <

Thanks a ton Tornao Joe ... That will Help a greta deal :!:

The gallery alone would be worth bookmarking that site..thanks again :)
04-16-2005, 02:14 PM
Howie

If anyone gets Scientific Amarican they have an article in the latest issue. "A Bolt out of the Blue"
Very new ideas about lightning.
Using X-Rays to monitor lightning and how much more complicated it is than experts had initially thought.

Their website does not have information on may's issue yet but I still found a ton of infromation on lightning in the advanced search. Scientific American
04-21-2005, 03:14 PM
wasup

If this hasn't been suggested yet (I haven't read the thread), get a tripod and give the camera a firm base. When there are lightning bolts say, every 30 seconds, put on a long exposure which should capture any lightning bolts that pass by.
04-22-2005, 02:17 AM
Howie

Quote:

Originally posted by wasup
If this hasn't been suggested yet (I haven't read the thread), get a tripod and give the camera a firm base. When there are lightning bolts say, every 30 seconds, put on a long exposure which should capture any lightning bolts that pass by.

Thanks for the advice wasup.
I have heard that there are light sensitve shutters. And when exposed to light the shutter opens with the falsh of ight.CApturing the bolt of lightning.
Is this achievable with a nikon camera...damn it I don't have it with me right now, it is at my fathers.
Anyone heard of this? Or this that what your saying Wasup?
04-22-2005, 02:26 AM
wasup

I'm not sure about that, I'm talking about long exposure. I don't know much about cameras otherwise.