at night if you watch the horizon you will fidn that hudge areas of the night sky will light up for a fraction of a second what are these?
even if there is no storms or clouds in the sky
I read somwhere that they are believed to be bolts of lightning generated by the gravity of the earth but im not to sure
2006-10-01 12:13:09 · 11 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Earth Sciences & Geology
Atmospheric electricity, except for that associated with charges within a cloud and lightning, results from the ionization of the atmosphere by solar radiation and from the movement of clouds of ions carried by atmospheric tides. Atmospheric tides result from the gravitational attraction of the sun and the moon on the earth’s atmosphere, and like the oceanic tides, they rise and fall daily. The ionization, and consequently the electrical conductivity, of the atmosphere close to the surface of the earth is low, but it increases rapidly with increasing altitude. Between 80 and 640 km (50 to 400 mi) above the earth, the ionosphere forms an almost perfectly conducting spherical shell. The shell reflects radio signals back to earth and absorbs electromagnetic radiations approaching the earth from space. The ionization of the atmosphere varies greatly, not only with altitude but with the time of day and the latitude.
2006-10-01 12:24:18 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
It could be what's refered to as Green Flash events.
These are natural phenomena from an effect caused by the setting of the sun (if they occur in the West) or sun rise (if they occur in the East) and its interaction of the atmosphere .
The link below may give you more insight...
2006-10-01 12:31:01 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
I was about to go outside to look, then I remembered that was how 'Day of the Triffids' started so I have drawn the curtains and hope the eyesight is still functioning tomorrow.
2006-10-01 12:43:14 · answer #3 · answered by Clive 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Electric arcs from railway lines can cause flashes but distant storms are more likely.
2006-10-01 12:38:03 · answer #4 · answered by Mark L 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
It is static electricity between one cloud to another.
2006-10-01 12:25:40 · answer #5 · answered by Ricky 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Must be cloud to cloud lighting.
2006-10-01 13:17:00 · answer #6 · answered by bruinfan 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Flying saucers.
2006-10-01 12:20:41 · answer #7 · answered by Clown Knows 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Gamma-ray bursts
Falling stars
The northern lights
Distant lightening
UFO's
Meteors
Fireworks
I'm guessing it's one of those things. lol ;-)
2006-10-01 12:34:07 · answer #8 · answered by Butterscotch 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
lightening? I was watching it earlier this eve over the sea.
2006-10-01 12:20:29 · answer #9 · answered by english_rose10 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
wot`s a hudge ?
2006-10-01 12:22:23 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋