They say lighting doesn’t strike the same place twice, but these bolts have bombarded the same area over eleven hair-raising minutes.
Each individual lightning bolt pounds the ground with an average power of one billion volts, so the force of dozens of bolts a second over more than ten minutes can barely be imaged.
Tour guide, Roch Hart, 52, took these incredible shots from his roof in Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA, just two miles away from the lightning strikes.
“After a day of tours I noticed this storm develop,” said Roch.
“Realising the potential I ran to the roof, stationed the camera on my tripod and began taking photos. The storm was unleashing all its power only in one area.
“Due to Albuquerque’s high altitude of over 5,200 feet, plus the very dry atmosphere and moisture from the Gulf of Mexico, the conditions were right for multiple lightning strikes in a short time.”
Over 200 people a year are killed in the US by lightning strikes, and New Mexico is often the state with the most deaths.
Roch explained why be had to be careful when taking these awesome pictures.
“You take every precaution to not be that highest object, yet it is possible to still be hit,” he said.
“The scariest moments are at night when you can’t see the storm developing over your head.
“All of a sudden a very bright light with amazing power conveyed by the clap of thunder makes you dive to the ground, then gather up your stuff and head for cover.
“The power and sound is very exhilarating and with each strike you capture you want more.
“Photographing lightning has become a passion. Someday I would hope to travel the world in capturing lightning.”
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Source: Barcroft
They say lighting doesn’t strike the same place twice, but these bolts have bombarded the same area over eleven hair-raising minutes.
Each individual lightning bolt pounds th...
Source: Barcroft
They say lighting doesn’t strike the same place twice, but these bolts have bombarded the same area over eleven hair-raising minutes.
Each individual lightning bolt pounds th...
no we get lighting that well strike in the same place more than once as some one who lives in this city the pictures were taken in my neighborhood which is corrals heights. when you get a good electrical storm you can get a really cool show can be scary at times and cause fires and damages to peoples homes and can kill people we have more deaths per state than any where else in the world.its like our sunsets their beautiful you have the hot pinks oranges and blues and purples and if the suns setting and the clouds are just right with them sprinkling the clouds make them look like its raining pink!
attitudeinpink: no we get lighting that well strike in the same
Fabulous! And in all those shots, the city never seemed to lose electricity! Our lights would've been out in the first seven minutes. You can practically bank on it.
evolvedtg: Fabulous! And in all those shots, the city never seemed
I think this is one long exposure. It makes it look as though the bolts are happening simultaneously even though they are not. You will notice that the first bolts are also in the later shots. This makes it seem much more dramatic than it is. This should have been clarified in the description!
Nicolas_Boehm: I think this is one long exposure. It makes it
Hi Nicolas, this was in essence that. It was individual shots of 30 second exposures from the same setting and then merged into one photo. I had noticed after I had captured the images just how many and how concentrated they were. Therefore I thought a series of these would be cool.
Roch_Hart: Hi Nicolas, this was in essence that. It was individual
Roch - at the risk of coming across as a troll (my second comment regarding this shot), there is nothing cool about this particular picture. Why? Because it's not actually a picture - it's a Photoshop exercise. The only cool thing about your pictures are the individual pictures themselves, now they, they are cool. People need to realise that there is absolutely nothing cool about something that's not actually real (or that didn't actually happen) it's a bit like saying: "living on Pandora (the planet is Avatar) is cool" yes, it sure would be - if it were real! Till then, no. You want to one day travel the World taking pictures of lightning strikes? I genuinely wish you do. Please do carry on taking amazing pictures, but please carry on taking pictures instead of "creating them" in Photoshop...people will take you more seriously for it
Greg_Fonne: Roch - at the risk of coming across as a
OK smart guys answer this for me . If lightning or electricity in general takes the path of least resistance to the grounded object it strikes, why are there so many bends in the bolt? Why isn't it a straight line?
jskaldskal: OK smart guys answer this for me . If lightning
Very cool--sort of reminds me of the opening scenes of the latest version of "War of the Worlds" that came out a few years ago where the aliens came down the lightening bolts!
mpgarr: Very cool--sort of reminds me of the opening scenes of
No, because although the voltage is very high, the power levels aren't. The energy delivered is around 500 MJ, if that energy was dissipated in 24 hours, it would be about 6kW. Bear in mind a decent size power plant delivers around 170,000 times more than that every day.
SteveAstroUK: No, because although the voltage is very high, the power
Man can't and will not do what God can do... He is The King!!! That is why he is called "King of Kings" There is no king like him. I bow down to you Lord... Please forgive me for my sins... For I have many... I love you... In your name Jesus, King of the Jews and the world!!!
PauED: Man can't and will not do what God can do...
I agree with SuperDoc2. I believe in science not some science ficiton of a guy with powers straight out of 'I dream of genie'.
The best example of idiocracy is Bill O'Reilly and his whole "The sun goes up, the sun goes down, the tide comes in, the tide goes out, i cant explain it, can you? It must be god"
Its simple physics, yet he doesn't get it because he wants you to stay dumb too, and he hasn't done his research on the subject.
Justjack1: I agree with SuperDoc2. I believe in science not some
Bill O does not speak for all Christians *shudders*. Kindly do not put me in the same group as him! It's your right to believe what you want, but don't criticize/make insulting remarks others simply because their views are different from yours. I would say this to anyone slamming any religion. Chistianity was around a LONG time before I dream of Genie, your comment was insulting. Science and religion both exist in my book. Expand your horizons you might learn something.
afowler712: Bill O does not speak for all Christians *shudders*. Kindly
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Posted: 4/04/2012 14:10 Updated: 16/04/2012 15:07