Dancing Cloud Phenomenon on YouTube - Bad Astronomy

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around a video depicting a "dancing cloud" phenomenon, with participants exploring potential explanations for the visual effect observed. The conversation includes hypotheses related to meteorological phenomena, camera effects, and light reflections, with a focus on the nature of the interaction between the camera and the cloud.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant initially speculates whether the effect is a camera aberration or something occurring at the cloud level.
  • A meteorologist's explanation suggests that ice crystals in the cloud align with an electric field, causing the observed effect as the field collapses and reforms.
  • Another participant agrees with the meteorologist's explanation but notes that the visual effect could also resemble water on the lens or a transparent sheet.
  • Some participants propose that the effect might be a reflection of something near the photographer, such as a watch, rather than an actual cloud phenomenon.
  • Others argue that the phenomenon remains stationary in the sky despite camera movement, which challenges the idea that it is a camera-related effect.
  • There is a suggestion that the video might be taken through glass, leading to reflections that could explain the appearance of the cloud.
  • One participant emphasizes that the movement observed is likely due to refracted light paths as ice crystals reorient, rather than any actual movement of clouds.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express multiple competing views regarding the cause of the phenomenon, with no consensus reached on whether it is a genuine atmospheric effect or a result of camera-related issues.

Contextual Notes

Some claims depend on assumptions about the nature of the video and the environmental conditions, which remain unresolved. The discussion includes various interpretations of the visual effects without definitive conclusions.

DaveC426913
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Caught this on Youtube. At first I thought it was a camera aberration, such as a drop of water on the lens. But the effect is independent of camera movement.

Anyone know what's going on here? Is this effect something between camera and cloud, or is it really something up at the cloud level? If so, what? The text has a hypothesis by a meteorologist.

http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/b...ng-video-of-a-bizarre-twisting-dancing-cloud/
 
Physics news on Phys.org
that was plain weird
 
Joel had sent the video to Walter Lyons, a meteorologist from WeatherVideoHD, who was able to identify this phenomenon. Here’s his reply:
The answer lies in this: ice crystals, especially long needles, tend to become aligned with the ambient electric field.
So what you are seeing is sunlight reflecting off ice crystal faces that are constantly being oriented by the developing electric field just above the [cumulonimbus] top. Then there is a discharge in the cloud, and the field collapses momentarily, and the crystals begin to realign again. Then this just keeps happening over and over.
Aha! I hadn’t thought of that. The outer surface of ice crystals can hold a static electric charge, similar to what happens when you rub a glass rod with a cloth, or rub a balloon on your hair and stick it to the wall. When placed in an electric field, the charges feel a force on them, and align themselves along the field. So all the ice crystals above that cloud top are aligned one way in the field. Then the field snaps (maybe due to lightning releasing the energy) and then reforms. The ice crystals change their orientation suddenly when that happens.
So why does it look like the entire shape is changing? That’s because ice crystals can act like little prisms, bending light when it passes through them (or they can act like mirrors, with light reflecting off their flat surfaces). When they float in the air you get all sorts of astounding and beautiful formations like sun dogs, halos, sun pillars, and more. These all depend on the angle between you, the Sun, and the orientation of the crystal in between.

I thought this was good.
 
Yeah - there's also a link to supporting examples.

It does look like water on the lens or some transparent sheet between the camera and the cloud - but the meterologists' suggestion looks good from here.
 
light is moving not the cloud it is most likely a reflection of some thing from directly around the photographer. Maybe even a watch on their arm..The source of the light of course is not in the camera view it is off to the side were it partaly reflects off the lens.

One of the reason a good lens hood is used.
 
it appears the video is being taken through a piece of glass. the moving cloud is just an image behind the camera reflecting off the glass. if a cloud moved that erratically it would also cause movement in the clouds around it because of air flow.
 
lostcauses10x said:
light is moving not the cloud it is most likely a reflection of some thing from directly around the photographer. Maybe even a watch on their arm..The source of the light of course is not in the camera view it is off to the side were it partaly reflects off the lens.

One of the reason a good lens hood is used.

No. As I pointed out - and you would have seen if you'd watched the whole video - the phenomenon does not move with the movement of the shot. It stays in the same spot in the sky, regardless of how much the camera moves.

That categorically rules out any phenomenon related to the camera.
 
Last edited:
Gabe21 said:
it appears the video is being taken through a piece of glass. the moving cloud is just an image behind the camera reflecting off the glass.

This is the only non-genuine-phenomenon explanation I can think of. But it would require the assumption that this is a hoax.
Gabe21 said:
if a cloud moved that erratically it would also cause movement in the clouds around it because of air flow.

There is no assumption that any cloud is moving.

What is moving is (ostensibly) just refracted light paths as ice crystals get reoriented.
 

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