Rare phenomenon caught on camera: ‘Ball lightning’ in Novosibirsk

Roman Tregubov, a graduate of the Novosibirsk State Technical University, grabbed his cell phone and managed to record a video of what appears to be ball lightning – a rare and mostly unexplained atmospheric electrical phenomenon.

The event took place last month, near Roman's house in Novosibirsk, Siberia, Russia. Tregubov published the video on his Facebook profile on July 18:

Video courtesy Roman Tregubov

Sightings of 'ball lightning' have been made for centuries around the world. The term refers to reports of luminous, spherical objects which vary from pea-sized to several meters in diameter. Though usually associated with thunderstorms, it lasts considerably longer than the split-second flash of a lightning bolt. Many early reports say that the ball eventually explodes, sometimes with fatal consequences, leaving behind the odor of sulfur.

Descriptions of ball lightning vary widely. It has been described as moving up and down, sideways or in unpredictable trajectories, hovering and moving with or against the wind; attracted to, unaffected by, or repelled from buildings, people, cars, and other objects.

Some accounts describe it as moving through solid masses of wood or metal without effect, while others describe it as destructive and melting or burning those substances. Its appearance has also been linked to power lines as well as during thunderstorms and also calm weather.

Ball lightning has been described as transparent, translucent, multicolored, evenly lit, radiating flames, filaments or sparks, with shapes that vary between spheres, ovals, tear-drops, rods, or disks.

As of yet, no explanation of how this phenomenon occurs has been universally accepted by science.

Featured image credit: Roman Tregubov