Glass Sparks

["Tesla list" <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Original poster: "Sebastian Fischetti" <QuantumStrings@xxxxxxx>

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So I finished building my tesla coil a couple of days ago, and I've 
been having a blast experimenting with it and trying different 
toploads and stuff.  Among my many experiments I placed a piece of 
glass over the top of the toroid and used my grounded safety probe to 
generate a spark that went through the glass...well, it didn't 
actually go through; it created a web of sparks on either side of the 
glass that then produce a spark to my probe and to the toroid.  In 
trying to figure out how this worked, I hypothesized is that the 
glass acts as a dielectric to a capacitor in which in broken down air 
on either side of it (i.e. the web of sparks) acts as the 
electrodes.  I haven't researched this, but I just wanted to know 
what you guys thought?

Also, does anyone have any other suggestions for stuff to try out 
with the coil?  I've placed almost anything I could get my hands on 
on the top of the coil, all with great effect, but more ideas would 
be appreciated! (and fun =)

Thanks!