A rare, unexplained luminous phenomenon, reported as flashes, glows or streamers of light in the sky, that some witnesses describe seeing shortly before or during an earthquake. Documented sporadically for centuries and captured on video during a number of modern earthquakes, earthquake lights remain scientifically contested, with proposed explanations including the generation of electric charge as stressed rock deep underground fractures.
Facts
ScaleLights reported up to 110 km from the epicenter in the 1930 North Izu earthquake 1 First DescribedReported as early as the 4th century BCE 1 Identification
Distinguishing AppearanceWhite or blue flashes and glowing orbs 1 Connections
Associated With
Earthquake lights are luminous phenomena reported in the sky during or immediately before earthquake shaking, thought to arise from stress-induced electrical effects in rock; the phenomenon is defined by, and occurs during, the earthquake itself.
Sources
1. Earthquake light, Wikipedia
Introduction, early reports
Luminous phenomena associated with earthquakes have been reported for millennia, as early as the 4th century BCE.
Appearance
The lights have been reported as white or blue flashes and as glowing orbs.
Reported distances
in the 1930 North Izu earthquake lights were reported up to 110 km (70 mi) from the epicenter.
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