Support NeoGAF

[Dead Man]

http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap130311.html

Explanation: Why does a volcanic eruption sometimes create lightning? Pictured above, the Sakurajima volcano in southern Japan was caught erupting in early January. Magma bubbles so hot they glow shoot away as liquid rock bursts through the Earth's surface from below. The above image is particularly notable, however, for the lightning bolts caught near the volcano's summit. Why lightning occurs even in common thunderstorms remains a topic of research, and the cause of volcanic lightning is even less clear. Surely, lightning bolts help quench areas of opposite but separated electric charges. One hypothesis holds that catapulting magma bubbles or volcanic ash are themselves electrically charged, and by their motion create these separated areas. Other volcanic lightning episodes may be facilitated by charge-inducing collisions in volcanic dust. Lightning is usually occurring somewhere on Earth, typically over 40 times each second.

http://www.thisiscolossal.com/2013/03/volcanic-lightning-photographed-by-martin-rietze/

Photographer Martin Rietze recently traveled to Japan where he had the incredible opportunity (or near grave misfortune?) of photographing the Sakurajima Valcano in southern Kyushu as it spewed forth smoke, fire, and lava bombs. If that wasn’t enough the hellish volcano also caused a lightning show that lasted over 20 seconds giving the photographer ample time to flee for his life take these stunning photographs. You can see many more images from the series right here. Of note, the photographer’s grit and fearlessness landed the top photo a feature on NASA’s Astronomy Picture of the Day earlier this week. (via spoon & tamago)

Gallery of all the images here: http://www.mrietze.com/web13/japan13.htm

 

[DUFFMCWALIN]

That third picture is INTENSE. Looks like an angry god or something.

 

[ComputerMKII]

Blue and orange looks awesome.

 

[Linkhero1]

Those are amazing.

 

[JordanN]

Unreal Engine 5?

 

[Clydefrog]

 

[Kaako]

Truly awesome and quite beautiful imo. Imagine seeing that in person from a somewhat close distance. :O

 

[Devolution]

Nature/our earth is so terrifyingly beautiful.

 

[UFRA]

WOW, those pics look unreal. Like something out of a video game or something...

 

[Snake]

Taco Bell.

Not even once.

 

[Dead Man]

Truly awesome and quite beautiful imo. Imagine seeing that in person from a somewhat close distance. :O

Yeah, I wouldn't have been able to get such good photos, that's for sure.

Taco Bell.

Not even once.

Bahahahahaha!

 

[Raynes]

Man, what doesn't Japan have?

 

[Gaspode_T]

Wow mother nature totally owns Skyrim graphics!!

Seriously though, people who obsess over graphics need to get outside more...the world will always win...just amazing stuff all over the place, you need to keep your eyes open and take time to look around.

 

[Bam Bam Baklava]

One of my favorite things ever. Volcanic lightning.

 

[A Pretty Panda]

I'm going to go make a heavy metal album now.

 

[Speevy]

Which Final Fantasy game had that one?

 

[bone_and_sinew]

That's fucking metal

 

[jyoung188]

Holy fuck!

 

[Omni]

That's pretty awesome.

 

[FelixOrion]

Brütäl

 

[ComputerMKII]

That's fucking metal

This fits perfectly:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cG8orlq6_yE

 

[kittens]

this is the coolest shit ever

 

[IISANDERII]

This isn't a photoshoppe? A high speed setting is needed to capture the lightning but then why is the magma rain blurry?

 

[The Last Wizard]

Awesome, the world can be crazy at times. What's those water tower things? Water spouts? It was in the final shot of that apocalyptic New Zealand movie.

 

[injurai]

This isn't a photoshoppe? A high speed setting is needed to capture the lightning but then why is the magma rain blurry?

it was an exposure, which is why the lighting was captured. It wasn't high speed.

You can see the blurring around the smoke even.

 

[monchi-kun]

Where's Frodo?

 

[Arcipello]

This isn't a photoshoppe? A high speed setting is needed to capture the lightning but then why is the magma rain blurry?

because the lighting struck as the magma was falling....and no a high speed setting is NEVER used to capture lightning, always a long exposure

 

[Order]

Would smash.

 

[Discordian_taco]

Man, what doesn't Japan have?

Population growth.

 

[monchi-kun]

Population growth.

Kinda hard thinking about starting a family when your island is a disaster zone (natural and unnatural)

 

[DrSlek]

Nature/our earth is so terrifyingly beautiful.

Terrifying is the right word. I thought it would be a great idea to go check out an errupting volcano on my honeymoon. Sure enough, when we were driving up the slope of Mount Yasur in Vanuatu....with steam seeping through the wet ground all around the dirt road up to the crater....I began to ask myself "Why the fuck did I think this would be a good idea?".

In the distance, it made loud rumbling noises. But when we were out of the cars, and walking up the slope it sounded more like the ocean because of all the gasses escaping. It was fucking terrifying.

I had some good pictures somewhere. No lightning though...I don't think they'd have let us venture up there if there was lightning.

 

[IISANDERII]

because the lighting struck as the magma was falling....and no a high speed setting is NEVER used to capture lightning, always a long exposure

OH! Had no idea heh. I guess this is why I'm an amateur.
I thought long exposure on moving object will result in blur but it's different for lightening because it's just for an instant and it's bright?

 

[Dead Man]

OH! Had no idea heh. I guess this is why I'm an amateur.
I thought long exposure on moving object will result in blur but it's different for lightening because it's just for an instant and it's bright?

Pretty much. The lightning is fast, but it only exists momentarily so it doesn't blur.

 

[Ydahs]

Amazing.

 

[Ovid]

I need high-res versions of these images.

 

[Desiato]

Sweet pictures. I've been on this volcano once actually. Ash fucking everywhere and my eyes were all stingy.

 

[maquiladora]

 

[Phoenix]

Man, what doesn't Japan have?

Quiet porn?

 

[Dead Man]

Holy crap, they are amazing.

 

[Raist]

Am I the only one to see a giant dude walking out of the ash in the first picture?

Anyway, neat pics.

 

[Phonomezer]

Awesome photos.

Sadly, I've been ruined enough times by terrible photoshops to find these, initially, quite amusing ;_;

 

[noal]

Wow, what stunning photos. I would love to have a couple of these hanging on my wall.

It truly reminds you how wonderful nature really is.

 

[R3TRODYCE]

Looks like some God of war stuff.

 

[Perkel]

Holy crap, they are amazing.

Gotta love those exposure photos. To bad in real life they do not look as good.

 

[Kayhan]

Mother Nature don't fuck around. First she will electrocute you and then she will melt your remains.

 

[HoodWinked]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vH7bJhirr7c

remember seeing this in a movie thinking it was so awesome how the lightning would crawl through the smoke.

 

[Dead Man]

Awesome photos.

Sadly, I've been ruined enough times by terrible photoshops to find these, initially, quite amusing ;_;

Good enough for NASA, good enough for me

Gotta love those exposure photos. To bad in real life they do not look as good.

Yeah, still great images.

Am I the only one to see a giant dude walking out of the ash in the first picture?

Anyway, neat pics.

Where? I want to see it.

 

[Soul Beat]

Damn nature, you scary!

But it's still so amazingly beautiful.

 

[GungHo]

That third picture is INTENSE. Looks like an angry god or something.

You know, that's the kind of shit where the Greeks got ideas like "Zeus and Hephaestus are having family problems right now, best go inside." What else are they gonna think?