Author Topic: Squid-like Sprite  (Read 5819 times)

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Offline Downlinerz2

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Squid-like Sprite
« on: June 08, 2009, 01:29:15 AM »
     I have attached a photo from spaceweather.com of a cool looking sprite!

Mark

Offline Mark / Ohio

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Re: Squid-like Sprite
« Reply #1 on: June 09, 2009, 12:39:54 AM »
I assume that is one the space shuttle camera captured?
Mark 
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Offline Downlinerz2

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Re: Squid-like Sprite
« Reply #2 on: June 09, 2009, 12:58:06 AM »
Mark,
   Beleive it or not a guy took that picture from the ground with his camera and zoom lens.  Go to Spaceweather.com and they have a lesson on how to capture these sprites.  You have to be able to see the tops of far off storms to see them.  PS: I looked at the websites shown on Spaceweather.com and there are cameras and software for capturing all sorts of things in the sky from Sprites to birds.  It is called UFOcapture. It all looks interesting. 
    Mark
« Last Edit: June 09, 2009, 01:08:19 AM by Downlinerz2 »

Offline Mark / Ohio

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Re: Squid-like Sprite
« Reply #3 on: June 10, 2009, 12:15:12 AM »
I never thought about looking for them that way.  Being toward the top on a South facing hill I at times can see the tops of storms about 20 miles+ away pretty good judging by radar echos.  It's not uncommon for storms to split North and South of us here so I'll have to pay more attention.  Bad part is that South is also looking back into the Eastern suburbs of Lancaster so there is a fair bit of light pollution.  That is the direction I would like to have a web cam pointed some day up on my 30' antenna tower.  This is the view I have to the SE from up there.  The farthest trees are about 4 miles away.



If I converted correctly the UFO Capture software is $193.00 US.  Not cheap but then not much in this hobby is.   :lol:
Mark 
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Offline Downlinerz2

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Re: Squid-like Sprite
« Reply #4 on: June 10, 2009, 08:34:51 AM »
Mark,
   You look to be positioned at a perfect place to observe the Sprites.  I would love to be able to do it.  I cannot think of  a place near here that has an open horizon.   :mrgreen:
         Mark

Offline Mark / Ohio

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Re: Squid-like Sprite
« Reply #5 on: June 11, 2009, 01:19:08 AM »
I've always wished we had either a second floor, or an observation deck or heated and cooled cupola on the roof.  Looking at it that way I guess the cost of a good camera up there would be the cheaper way to go.  :-k  

I might just talk myself into justifying the price of a good outdoor movable cam yet.   ;)
Mark 
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Offline Downlinerz2

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Re: Squid-like Sprite
« Reply #6 on: June 11, 2009, 01:24:39 AM »
 Mark
I know what you mean!!! It is a whole lotta fun too!! :grin: \:D/.  One question.  Do you have much of a problem with light pollution?

               Mark

Offline Mark / Ohio

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Re: Squid-like Sprite
« Reply #7 on: June 11, 2009, 01:36:01 AM »
We have street lights in the local area.  To the right of where the photo stops on over a hill there is numerous apartment and condo complexes with outside lighting.  Further to the right (SW) outside the photo and over another hill is the general glow from the city of Lancaster at night.  So yes it is a problem.  Not real bad but last September after the wind storm and several years before that after the ice storm when power was out for several days I noticed (while pacing about outside to calm the nerves) the difference in visibility of the stars especially.  Before those extended outages I did not realize how much effect the scattered lights were having.
Mark 
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Offline Downlinerz2

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Re: Squid-like Sprite
« Reply #8 on: June 11, 2009, 01:44:19 AM »
  Yep--it's pretty much the same here.  I have talked to our mayor and some council men pushing the idea that it is a real waste to light up the sky!  They tell you to turn the lights when you leave a room, but continue to illuminate the entire sky.  ](*,) ](*,) ](*,) #-o #-o :cry: :cry: :cry:
          Mark

Offline mackbig

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Re: Squid-like Sprite
« Reply #9 on: June 11, 2009, 07:18:28 AM »
light pollution is amazing. I remember going to my grandparents cottage as a kid.  no lights really up on the lakes and no nearby town (let alone cities), you could see millions of stars...

In suburbia you can see some, almost none in the city.

I remember the north-east blackout in 2003... needed a flashlight to walk the dog it was so dark, and the sky looked like cottage country up north... factor that with no a/c running (it was a very hot humid night)... it was eerily quiet and pitch black, pretty cool event ....  met more neighbours that evening then in 2 years living there.

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Offline Mark / Ohio

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Re: Squid-like Sprite
« Reply #10 on: June 12, 2009, 12:32:47 AM »
Storms passed North and South tonight after we got a short dose of heavy rain and lightning here.  But there were too many clouds around to see above them.  Oh well, it's now the hot and muggy time of year.   I'm sure there will be more opportunities.   \:D/


Admittedly I'm also contributing to the light pollution problem with a high pressure sodium fixture on the garage lighting the area where my truck sets out.  Also keep a small yellow CFL lit over the back door in a dark spot.  I did have motion sensor lamps on the garage and still do for the backyard and front porch.  But on the garage I was going though flood lamps pretty quick.  Also I think the direct evening sun was shortening the life of the IR sensors as I was having to replace them every couple of years it seemed.  The IR sensors I have in the shaded areas are probably 10+ years old now.  I switched to the CFL floods on the garage which were OK during warm weather and lasted much longer but took too long to warm up during the winter rendering them ineffective for use in a motion sensor fixture.  So I broke down and installed the 70W sodium lamp.  It's been polluting for several years now and still on the original bulb.  (Good thing considering the cost of a replacement bulb for it.   :shock:)

We have spells of burglaries and teens being a pain around here off an on.  We have numerous low income apartments about a mile or two away with residents breeding some real winners.  Also some drug nuts coming into the area from Columbus which we did not used to have.  Worst here was when they set the mailbox on fire one night and stole the neighbors lawn ornaments then tossed them in the bed of my truck another night.  Another fellow in the area had his wicker porch furniture stolen.  But just down the road they were breaking in while people slept steeling purses and what ever they could find of value from the end of the house opposite the bedrooms a year or two ago.  Considering that several members of the police and sheriff department also live in this area, the crooks were not terribly bright to take that plan of attack.  There's also a fair number of old timers, military vets, and others in the local area and around town I know of loaded for bear that would take someone breaking and entering down in a heartbeat once inside the house.  Who's to say I'm not one of them.   ;)

Oh for the good ole days when we could leave ground level windows open and the doors unlocked night and day, home and away without concern.  Unfortunately those days passed around 30 years ago for us.   :sad:

Once again I've rambled way off topic.   #-o



« Last Edit: June 12, 2009, 12:35:21 AM by Mark / Ohio »
Mark 
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Offline Downlinerz2

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Re: Squid-like Sprite
« Reply #11 on: June 12, 2009, 01:13:33 AM »
Mark,
    In my pursuit of amateur astronomy Low Pressure Sodium lights were not too bad.  I had filters that I could use to block that kind of light.  All that really needs to be done is for people to put what are called Full Cut off shielding on the lights they have.  That puts the vast majority of the light on the ground where it is needed.  And I think that the Mercury vapor lamps should be outlawed.  Using too bright a light just gives the bad guys a shadow to hide in.
     I imagine one of the hardest things about observing these sprites is getting the right setup of clear skies overhead and towers over the horizon.  You can look on the website below and see more pictures and there may be information of hunting sprites.  I have not had a chance to give the site a good going over but the pictures are great.  I think there is even software for capturing them automatically.  It is called UFO Capture.   
      I know it is so easy to get off topic but at least we are still on the road.
      mark
« Last Edit: June 12, 2009, 01:18:34 AM by Downlinerz2 »