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Slow-Motion Lightning Video

huffingtonpost.com — In this amazing video, a slow-motion camera captures the strange and beautiful electricity dance that is a lightning strike.

Who dugg this? Made popular Aug 8, 2008

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  • Stap1eGun, on 08/08/2008, -1/+109Finally, a slow motion camera used for something other than bullets going through produce.

    The wait was well worth it, this video is amazing!
  • rgodfrey, on 08/08/2008, -3/+83That is some leftist ***** lightning. Why is this on Huffington Post?
  • andoru, on 08/08/2008, -0/+60If you look carefully, the main strike follows one of the paths traced out by the fork-shaped part - whichever trail first made a connection to the ground.
  • BraveLilToasta, on 08/08/2008, -2/+44All I can say is sham-WOW!!!
  • nhansen, on 08/08/2008, -0/+42Because I was curious about the price several months ago, I emailed and got this response back from ablecine.com:

    ===

    PURCHASE
    The price for the Phantom HD body with 32 GB image memory is $141,500. Cameras equipped with 16 GB of Image Memory are $117,500.

    The Phantom 65 with 32 GB of Image memory is priced at $156,000, and the 16GB version is $132,500.

    RENTAL
    The rental rate on the Phantom HD (the 2k model) is currently $2,500 per day.

    The package includes:
    (1) Phantom HD with PL Mount and 16G internal memory
    (1) Sliding base-plate – 15mm or 19mm
    (2) 24v brick batteries
    (1) choice of viewfinder or onboard monitor
    (1) laptop controller equipped with Iridas Speedgrade Onset and FrameCycler Pro

    The Phantom 65 (4k model) is $3,000 per day. The 512GB CineMags rent for $1,250 per day, and the 256 GB version for $750. Unless you have previous Phantom experience, a VRI/Abel certified engineer is required and available at about $850 per day plus travel expenses.

    ===
    Um, I guess I'll just look for now. Thanks!
  • inactive, on 08/08/2008, -3/+39An electrical impulse, called a leader, reaches downward from the cloud in steps, each step covering about 50 meters (150 feet). When the leader nears the ground, streamers arise to meet it, and the circuit is complete. A bright streak of electricity, the stroke of lightning, ascends along the same course the leader took. Several more strokes may follow this same path.

    The whole sequence is "lightning fast." The leader travels at 220,000 kilometers (136,000 miles) per hour, the pauses between steps take 50 millionths of a second, the return stroke moves at over 100 million kilometers (62 million miles) per hour, and all subsequent strokes are so fast the eye sees a single flickering lightning bolt.
  • CrazyForSW, on 08/08/2008, -0/+33That is freaking awesome. Christ, those high speed cameras must be expensive.
  • electricwaffles, on 08/08/2008, -0/+29digg bait
  • btschul, on 08/08/2008, -0/+29Compared to the average Youtube user, the most mentally challenged Digger looks like a Mensa member. Most of the comments are a variation of "LOLZZZ sdfkdsfk fake shoop lollerskate fvafvlsaff ***** ***** gay lolllllllllllllllll."
  • Subriot, on 08/08/2008, -1/+22I can't believe idiots on YouTube are claiming it's fake, shopped, etc...

    Damn I hate YouTube comments...
  • btschul, on 08/08/2008, -1/+22Huffington post? Must be Anti-McCain lightning.
  • Frogee, on 08/08/2008, -0/+18Wow guys, wow.

    Already on the front page, 2 of the same story at the same time.

    http://digg.com/environment/Slow_Motion_Lightning_ ...
  • Vet4Peace, on 08/08/2008, -0/+17I did NOT expect to see little lightning blobs zooming around like that. Wow.
  • bbqsalad, on 08/08/2008, -3/+19that's shocking!
  • rabidjester, on 08/08/2008, -0/+15In addition to the media, most of the internets, the democratic party, California and the muppets, George Soros controls the weather in order to destroy American families and values.
  • edru, on 08/08/2008, -0/+15i like how you can see how it actually works. All the little arms spiraling off until one finally hits the ground, closes the connection and then BOOOOM
  • omenmedia, on 08/08/2008, -0/+14Anyone else think "fractal" for the first part of the lightning??

    http://www.instantcrickets.com/

    Just me? Dang.
  • Futurejunior, on 08/08/2008, -3/+16Hi Wikipedia! I didn't know you were on digg...that has to be you, that's the only legitimate reason why this wouldn't be cited.
  • green1152, on 08/08/2008, -0/+12or a water balloon. They're cool and all, but it's getting old!
  • nhansen, on 08/08/2008, -0/+12Here's a killer video that utilizes slow motion in an non traditional way...

    http://www.j-four.com//videos/Lifecycles.mov

    hope this doesn't kill their site!
  • emjaymj, on 08/08/2008, -0/+11I'm not exactly sure what the memory is made of but looking at the specs sheet, it appears that it needs to be able to write to memory at several gigabytes per second. Definitely not your typical camera memory...
  • IpHa, on 08/08/2008, -0/+11Wow, there is much more going on in a lightning strike then I expected.
  • Dumbledorito, on 08/08/2008, -1/+11Typical HuffPo Liberal atmospherics.
  • drewfer, on 08/08/2008, -0/+9I want a slow mo of the slow mo.
  • fredrockbluff, on 08/08/2008, -0/+8There can only be ONE.... slow-motion lightning video post.
  • shakbhaji, on 08/08/2008, -0/+8I wonder what the time frame of the video is.
  • Jasonstech, on 08/08/2008, -1/+9I would have liked the site to say how many seconds in real time that was.
  • edru, on 08/08/2008, -0/+8its normal video interlacing regular bugs flying fast.

    It was proven on a show where they synced a high speed and a regular camera with clock shot in the background so you could time exactly when it happened....

    just bugs dude.
  • Rocco03, on 08/08/2008, -0/+7***** dupe article full of ads.
    Buried.
  • rome747, on 08/08/2008, -2/+9I want to see lightning strike a tree or some other object in slow mo. Now that would be cool.
  • inactive, on 08/08/2008, -0/+6"When this baby hits 88 miles per hour, you're gonna see some serious *****."
  • tribble222, on 08/08/2008, -1/+7$24,000 extra for 16 extra gigs? What kind of crazy storage medium is this? Platinum?
  • shakbhaji, on 08/08/2008, -0/+6Watching that video made me ec-static!
  • kd420, on 08/08/2008, -0/+6Probably the most awesome video I've seen on the internet. It's such a ***** to realize how wrong our idea of an event is based solely on our perception of time.
  • killerknives, on 08/08/2008, -1/+7makes me want to look up how that happens
  • PabloMac, on 08/08/2008, -2/+8Finally, something from fluffington post that deserves a digg.
  • theysayjump, on 08/08/2008, -1/+7I think if you watch the video THE WHOLE WAY THROUGH you'll realise that it actually lasts for 25 seconds, with various lights and flashes occurring throughout.

    Now who has a hat on one's buttocks?
  • btschul, on 08/08/2008, -1/+7I have a feeling you will never experience it.
  • KibblesnBitts, on 08/08/2008, -0/+61.21 Gigawatts!
  • VodkanLemons, on 08/08/2008, -3/+9***** you kineticworm for not knowing how to post videos


    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=luydcXrI6fk
  • btschul, on 08/08/2008, -0/+5No, McCain was using the lightning to try and smite an orphanage full of infants with ethnic backgrounds, so obviously the Huffington Post reported it.
  • Acidictadpole, on 08/08/2008, -0/+4Yea from the top of my head I'd guess it's trying to find the shortest path to ground and moving around pretty randomly as it does so. If you watch it a few times you can see that the larger (actual) strike follows the path of the "blob" that reached the ground first perfectly.


    Very Impressive and definately something I'll hold on to to show my kids.
  • Futurejunior, on 08/08/2008, -0/+4How much time elapsed in this?
  • MikeyMoose, on 01/30/2009, -0/+4Lamest dupe ever...
  • isewise, on 08/08/2008, -0/+4http://www.physlink.com/education/AskExperts/ae120 ...
    http://content.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?i ...
  • Moodge, on 08/08/2008, -0/+3http://digg.com/comedy/Totally_Original_I_Swear_3

    That sums it up. Digg's going downhill.
  • bmcnally, on 08/08/2008, -1/+4Is this the first good Huffington post article on Digg?

    Amazing video - why not just the youtube link?
  • t0ny, on 08/08/2008, -1/+4Check out the EX-F1 http://exilim.casio.com/browse_cameras/exilim_pro/ ... . It can do 1000fps but the size gets really now at the speed ~100px. But it can do good SD at 300fps and 600fps. Not bad for $1000.
  • theysayjump, on 08/08/2008, -1/+4Hi!

    It's Vince with:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QwRISkyV_B8
  • mphazon, on 08/08/2008, -0/+3Oh my god that was amazing. I guess the mini lightning second from the left won the race.
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