Strange palm tree shaped long lasting lightening?

[adgecutler]

A few years back I was taking a drink on a cruise liners (the island escape) deck when nearly all others were in their cabins (between 2 and 3 am), I was drinking with a chap I met that night called John and his good lady both from Wales. We were the only people at the bar on the deck other than the bar staff who were doing party tricks and the like to amuse us, when I noticed (it was hard not to) a massive light structure forming over several seconds (I guess about 20 seconds or so). This light grew and reached way up into the skies and formed a shape similar to your stereotypical palm tree and blue, in these moments not a sound could be heard. I do not know what I saw that night and would like any theories you may have, I also realise many of you may poo poo me but I know what I saw and despite being out that late at a bar I was not drunk!

[jimmyjamjoejoe]

Strange... Was it a bright, clear and well pronounced shape like lightning? Or was it more of a whispy, soft glow like the northern lights?

Any idea of size?

20 seconds pretty much rules out lightning (as far as i know)...

[adgecutler]

It was well pronounced and well defined. Size? If only 50 yards away would have been 50' i guess, I have no idea how far awy it was however. The closest thing to it I have found on Google images are blue jets but it was much more horizontally branched at the top.

Definately not 50 yards away, just used this for some idea or scale, it was miles off I guess.

[DavidOfBanff]

Where were you?

It sounds like a rocket or missile going up through the layers of clouds.

[Gra]

Where were you?

It sounds like a rocket or missile going up through the layers of clouds.

I would second that.

[LeoLion]

It's worth considering the lightning pheneomena of 'sprites' and 'elves' etc. Here is a link to a YouTube video

. It is possible that this is what you saw. Have a look here too Weather Elements: Blue Jets, Red Sprites and Elves . There is plenty more info on the net.

Some of the Japanese meteor video people use UFO Capture Pro software to record this phenomena. Try this link SonotaCo.com *English* . Hope this helps,

Len E

[adgecutler]

Thanks Leo, it looked very much like one of the Sprites shown but it grew from the base upward and then branched out more at the top over several seconds. I did research it as soon as I got home and came up with Sprites but the duration that it was visable has made me draw a blank.

It was spotted a couple of hours after departing from Rio de Janiero.

[Superewza]

I would have pointed you in the direction of sprites too, they do seem to last longer than 'regular' lightning so i wouldn't completely rule it out. There's also an even rarer variation on the blue jets that are red in colour, as far as i'm aware a lot of all types grow from the base upwards.

What i'm not sure about is how often they occur in the absence of either clouds, a related ground thunderstorm or how visible they are to the naked eye... also:

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