sign in • sign up
web | myLot | discussions | blogs | news | photos
homeinterestsdiscussionsblogsnewsmessages friendsphotosearningsmyLot

Have you ever seen the Broken Spectre? email this discussion to a friend?

myLot reputation of 95/100. Noot54 (4441)   ranked 204 out of 29,399 in life1 year ago

I saw this amazing sight when I was younger, and climbing on the Welsh peak Snowdon. It is something I will never forget.
As the mountaineer reaches a high ridge, a ghostly figure towers out from the mist, its head sheathed in shimmering rings. This unnerving apparition is the "Spectre of the Brocken", named because of sightings on the Brocken, the highest peak of Germany's Harz Mountains.
The Brocken Spectre appears when a low sun is behind a climber who is looking downwards into mist from a ridge or peak. The "spectre" is the shadowy figure - the glow and rings are of course a glory centered directly opposite the sun at the antisolar point.
But how is the ghostly figure produced? It is no more than the shadow of the climber projected forward through the mist. All shadows converge towards the antisolar point where the glory also shines. The sometimes odd triangular shape is a perspective effect. The Brocken Spectre is a similar effect to anti-crepuscular rays and cloud shadows.
The spectre sometimes appears to be huge. This is probably caused by the presence of the glory and the mist obscuring more familiar reference points with which to judge its size.


The Broken Spectre
 
 
life
sponsors
Aspx Errors
Free Download: Aspx Errors Repair Tool. 100% Safe& Guaranteed.
AspxErrors.FreshPCFix.com

Internet Answering Services
Catch-A-Call allows you to receive and answer incoming calls and faxes while you are online. No need for a second phone line. Satisfaction Guaranteed.
www.gadgetshack.com

Let Us Be There When You Can't
Rite Response Telemessaging, A full Service Center, celebrating 17 years. Live "Quality" Answering 24/7 for Commercial, Professional, Medical, large or small. BBB Member.
www.riteresponse.com

rhinoboy (1360) response was accepted on 7/7/2007.
denotes best response.
tags:  brocken spectre, effect, climber, noot54, unnerving
 
1. myLot reputation of 95/100. rhinoboy (1360)   ranked 324 out of 29,399 in life   1 year ago

I haven't seen that, but I'm fascinated by it.
I was chatting with some sea anglers last year and they were talking about some of the odd occurences they'd seen while sitting on piers at 4 am. A few guys said they'd seen St. Elmos Fire and it had freaked them out a bit.

The closest thing I remember to the phenomena you describe is when I was having a lie-in as a teenager. It was light outside but my bedroom curtains were closed (bungalow). In the light 'spilling' around the sides or the curtain, I could see a small person-shaped shadow on the wall, moving back and forth. My mother was actually cleaning the patio table and it was some type of anti-reflection of her, but about 6 inches tall on my bedroom wall. I have no idea how the effect occured, as I tried to recreate it a couple of times without any success.

Aspx Errors Free Download: Aspx Errors Repair Tool. 100% Safe & Guaranteed. AspxErrors.FreshPCFix.com
 
sponsors
answering office phone virtual
Find providers of answering services in our directory.
www.business.com

Answer Racing Products
Come see the complete line of Answer riding apparel.
www.gmo1.com

Office Suites PLUS
Providing a full line of services designed to keep you and your costumers connected. Services include personalized telephone answering services as well as call screening and call forwarding.
www.officesuitesplus.com

sponsors
answering office phone virtual
Find providers of answering services in our directory.
www.business.com