Was Terry's DRSSTC - First light ;-)) - now BIG sparks!

["Tesla list" <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Original poster: Bert Hickman <bert.hickman@xxxxxxxxxx>

Tesla list wrote:

> Original poster: Terry Fritz <teslalist@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Hi DC,
> At 06:50 PM 3/15/2005, you wrote:
>
> > I presume you are using some type of grounded strike rail?
>
> Yes.  I put on a nice new rail "since" I blew the last IGBTs:
> http://drsstc.com/~terrell/pictures/StrikeRail.JPG
> But ya know how sparks sometimes just don't behave...
> http://www.feeta.co.uk/old/10_feeta/public/pictures/lightning/tower-miss.jpeg

Terry and all,

While on the topic of errant sparks, you might like this spectacular photo 
of a nearby lightning strike from Australia. This just appeared on another 
list complements of a fellow named "Jet Black"
http://205.243.100.155/photos/HVStuff/NearbyLightning.jpg

Following is the text that goes with it:
"I happened to be out in the back yard, watching a storm on Friday Night
(14/01/05), that appeared to be a few km away, (I live in Old Toongabbie, 
and the storm appeared to be in Pendle Hill, or Greystanes) [Australia].

I set the camera's settings so that the shutter remained open for four
seconds, placed it on the back bumper of my car, hoping to get a few
shots of lightning in the clouds a few km's away.

There was no rain at all, and stars could be seen over the north 1/3 of
the sky, so I did not feel in danger in any way, boy was I
mistaken...... DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE ELECTRICAL STORMS, YOU COULD GET
YOURSELF KILLED!!!!

I click away a few times, and got nothing, and then clicked the button
again, and within 0.5 seconds of me pressing the button, I had jumped at
least 2 metres in the air, as I heard a tremendously loud crack of
thunder, and see this amazingly bright beam of electricity right in
front of me. I had then landed, grabbed the camera, and was inside the
house within 2 seconds.

I did not realize just how lucky I was until I uploaded he pic to my
computer, and saw a leader stroke that must have originated no more than 2 
metres from where I was standing next to my car, under my carport.

Had the main charge taken the leader near me, rather than the one it
did, I would be dead.

When lightning strikes, it actually comes up from the ground first
(called a leader stroke), this stroke makes the air within it
conductive, and once it reaches the cloud, you have a complete circuit,
and the bolt of lightning comes down from the cloud along the leader
stroke. First leader to the cloud wins, luckily mine did not.

I estimate that the main bolt was approx 1.5- 2 metres in diameter, and
struck something in the yard behind the shed that is located at the back
of the yard. That would have had an extremely large charge, and would
have been extremely hot, hotter than the surface of the sun, at 5,500
degrees Celsius, it could have been around 30,000 degrees Celsius.
Needless to say, I was buzzing for the rest of Friday night, due to the
amount of adrenaline going through me cause of how close it had come."

That was one lucky shot... and one VERY lucky bloke!  :^)

Best regards,

-- Bert --
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