OT: Chaiten Volcano lightning storms
 

In case you missed it, Chaiten Volcano in southern Chile erupted couple of days ago, forcing app. 4,500 people to evacuate from their homes. This volcano supposedly has not erupted in at least 2,000 years.

sattelite image:
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1210358518.jpg

view from the ground:
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1210358558.jpg

I've seen recordings of lightning storms from the clouds of volcano ash, but this one is just incredible. I've never seen anything like it, or thought it possible:
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1210358664.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1210358682.jpg

Here's a link to a bigger jpg of the first image of lightning storm: http://galacticcentral.org/imagebucket/volcano.jpg

Lightning is dangerous. When coupled with an erupting volcano you then need to seek shelter for yourself and your motorcycle.

Very cool pictures. Sorry for those displaced.

Its alive!

......and something ought to be done about all that pollution! Criminey, call the EPA.


Neat pics nonetheless......;)

Kinda reminds me of the latest War of the Worlds with Tom "Da Couch" Cruz.Alien war vehicles landing under the cover of mother nature.Run, Run , your all gunna die!!:)

It's quite impressive. There's even a couple of green bolts on both pictures. I read somewhere those are from ionized oxygen (as opposed to ionized nitrogen, I guess).

Primordial Soup???

None of that ash better land on my car.

It is good that your area is beginning to quiet down Steve...:eek:

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/eqcenter/recenteqsus/Maps/US10/32.42.-125.-115.php
Map Centered at 37°N, 120°W

I was out riding my bike when Mt St Helen's erupted in 1980. The sky got real dark. I thought it was a big thunder storm.

When I got home my wife told me what happened. About an hour later the ash started falling. When it was all done we had about 3 inches of ash on the road.

That kept me off the bike for a few days!:eek:

We were living in Seattle then and also heard it. I don't remember the lightning effect, though. Very spectacular photos -- almost like some of the element-enhanced Hubble shots.