What is St. Elmo's Fire?

Question

dr.two · Answer

St. Elmos fire is an electrical phenomenon that is best known for appearing around the masts of ships back in the days of sailing ships. It can also form around airplane wings and many other objects. This phenomenon is caused by a great difference in electrical charge between a charged object (like the mast of a ship) and the air around it. When the charged objects voltage gets high enough, it will discharge the electrical energy that has built up. This discharge can be seen as a glow -- St. Elmos fire.

zetaphi938 · Answer

St. Elmos fire is one of two things. The first is probably the correct answer which is a weather anomaly where luminous light (plasma) is created by an electron discharge from a certain force such as a thunderstorm or an eruption from a volcano. Usually it is a bright blue or yellow glow, which, from a distance reveals what looks like a fire. Historically, many sailors believed their to be fire on the water or shore where in reality it was an optical illusion of light created by an electron discharge reflecting off of the ocean.
 
However, there is also the offchance that St. Elmos Fire may also be a 1985 film starring Emilio Estevez and Rob Lowe.

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What is St. Elmo's Fire?

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