Thunderbolt strikes Mistra
A lightning bolt strikes Mistra in this picture taken from placid St Paul's Bay by photographer Malcolm Sammut last night.
A thunderstorm lashed Malta shortly after midnight and rain continued for most of the night in many areas.
The thunderstorm was the second this month.
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93 Comments
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Patrick Pullicino
Sep 12th 2010, 23:30
Meta rajt dan ir-ritratt, ftakart fi l'ewwel qari tal-lum:
U l-Mulej qal lil Mose: Harist lejn dal poplu, u, ara, dan poplu rasu iebsa: Ghalekk issa hallini wahdi, halli qillti tixghel ghalihom, u neqridhom: u minnek naghmel gens kbir. U Mose talab lill-Mulej Alla tieghu... U Alla nidem mid-deni li haseb jaghmel lill poplu tieghu
Kurt G Pace
Sep 12th 2010, 19:22
How hard would it be to build a power plant that harnesses the electricity generated by lightning? Then, store the electricity and use it on-demand on the electric grid? This concept is perhaps not as impractical as it once was. The main limiting factor of implementing a lightning capturing scheme such as this was the inability to be able to store large amounts of electricity for later use. However, new Utility Scale Battery technology or other energy storage technologies such as Flywheels or Capacitors could be used to store the electricity captured from lightning in massive quanties, for later grid use. Obviously, a lightning capturing power plant would only be practical in regions with frequent thunderstorms, such as Florida. The biggest hurdle would really be creating power plant infrastructure that could survive the harsh surges created by lightning strikes, but even that seems possible with current technology and materials. Electrical and building design engineers could come up with an innovative way to make it work. Specially designed buffer/insulation and transformer materials could be used to safely capture and harness the massive amounts of electricity generated during a lighting strike, and transfer it to large storage device for later use.
Pule' Carmel
Sep 12th 2010, 22:37
Knowing where lightning would strike next would be difficult unless a high lightning arresstor is arranged to attract thunderbolts to the same place. Not an easy undertaking yet! Better to stick to windpower, wave energy and solar power and manure power for the time being. In Malta better building design would save a tremendous amount of power especially where heating and cooling are involved, all this can be impemented using direct solar power in heat form.
Joey Borg
Sep 12th 2010, 16:58
if only we could harness the power of thunder bolts and convert them into electricity.
Alex Ciantar
Sep 12th 2010, 19:29
@ Joey Borg , are you kidding mate? we cannot even control the electricity we produce from the power station let alone harness the energy from a thunderbolt!!!!!.........excellent photo though PROSIT
Pule' Carmel
Sep 12th 2010, 10:24
Considering the inhomogenious medium(vapour density) that the thunderbolt goes through, would you believe it that the resulting branches and secondary branches are symmetrical about the main trunk and the branches that form.!
When I was at university in Newcastle, I once arranged for large rectangular photographic plates to be sandwiched between resistive paper and two terminals on opposite sides . Then I applied a high voltage across the terminals and the thunderbolt that formed was captured by the pbotographic plate. After develpoing I studied the trunk and all the branches that formed and to my surprise I found that irrispective of the contours followed by the main trunk and primary and secondary branches, I could always find a symmetrical pair about the trunk or the branches. In the picture, It would appear that there is symmetry too but as the system is 3 dimentional, the symmetry is in many planes.
Prosit to Mr Sammut. your photograph helps to confirm my theory about high voltage sparks, with which we cannot mess around. I am not a fanatic about religion and how life started, but this photograph makes me wonder if what is on it is nature, " coming to life"
Joe Scerri
Sep 12th 2010, 10:08
Good shot. Congratulations lad.IT IS AMAZING..........................
George Mangion
Sep 11th 2010, 15:29
How wonderful is mother Nature ! It clearly speaks of the author, wonderful, mighty, awful and merciful.
"The Lord thunders, he sits enthroned for ever:
he has set up his throne, his judgement seat.
He it is who will judge the world with justice
and try the cause of peoples fairly. (Psalm 9-10,New English Bible)
Joe Fenech
Sep 11th 2010, 12:24
This must be Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando coming up with a new brilliant idea of his!
Daniel Diacono
Sep 12th 2010, 03:21
Or maybe JPO is being punished for his pro-divorce stand !!! LOL
Kieran Sciberras
Sep 11th 2010, 08:41
Where can we see a high-res version? :)
Great capture! Love the reflections!
A.tabone
Sep 10th 2010, 23:37
WWWWWWWOOOOWWWWWW vera prosit lill Malcolm Sammut li irnexxielu jigbed dan ir ritratt fenomenali...
Josephine Grieve
Sep 10th 2010, 23:22
awesome!
albert zammit
Sep 10th 2010, 21:10
Malcolm - with that shot the TOM should sell their paper to 9 million readers...The NOTW does that! And you might have been given a windfall for it. Anyway, prosit for bringing the news to life...
joanna asquith
Sep 10th 2010, 19:43
Malcolm, fab picture!! whats the chance of purchasing this? i love st pauls bay and that picture is just AMAZING!!!!
Malcolm Sammut
Sep 11th 2010, 10:15
Hi Joanna,
my e-mail is malcolm.sammut@maltanet.net can contact me there or through the my website mentioned above
Oswald Spiteri
Sep 10th 2010, 18:17
WOW WHAT A PICTURE, absolutely electrifying . . . . . . capturing such a photo is that split second reflex action. WELL DONE Malcolm
Marylu Coppini
Sep 10th 2010, 18:03
Striking picture indeed!! Proset tassew. I live closeby, was asleep at the time and the bolt was quite something, I can tell you!
Malcolm Sammut
Sep 10th 2010, 17:47
Hi everyone. thanks a lot for your comments. I'm glad you enjoyed the picture as much as I enjoyed the time to capture it and sharing a free show of nature.
joe cremona
Sep 11th 2010, 15:59
Well done Malcolm, great picture and great composure, can you please give information re camera settings used to capture this photo.
Chris Giordano
Sep 10th 2010, 17:16
Prosit tassew lil min ha dar-ritratt! Haqqu jirbah premju tal-fotografija!
Marthese Mussett
Sep 10th 2010, 22:14
Veru..veru ritratt sabih u mehud tajjeb
ALFRED CAMILLERI
Sep 10th 2010, 16:33
The accident mentioned by Mr. Ellul happend on Thursday 4th May 1989 at the Mt. Carmel Fireworks Factory of Zurrieq (c. 13.30). TWO PERSONS DIED - Nenu Zahra and Narcy Schembri.
David Dandria
Sep 10th 2010, 15:14
Magnificent photo. Well done.
Just a thought - what if such a thunderbolt were to strike a fireworks factory??!!?
Carm Ellul
Sep 10th 2010, 15:44
It did a few years ago at Zurrieq.
Result was destruction and death of one person.
Joe Fenech
Sep 10th 2010, 16:52
As you know, firework factories are equipped for every possible calamity.
G.Schembri
Sep 10th 2010, 16:54
And what if a bus full of people is struck by lightng, what if the Power Station is struck by lightning. What if ?
Mario Cachia
Sep 10th 2010, 19:46
if a lightning bolt hits a bus nothing should happen to the passengers as the lightning bolt will run on the outside of the bus. The bus acts as a Faraday cage in this situation - the metal body takes the electrical charge safely around you. Also, the tyres act like big rubber souls and earth the car thus it discharges - something electronic might suffer a glitch (unless you have a lovely old car that doesn't have silly electronics!) but nothing more.
Joseph Vassallo
Sep 10th 2010, 15:04
Prosit Malc....this explains why you did not attend pre season yesterday - :)
Joe Morana
Sep 10th 2010, 14:12
While congratulating the photographer for capturing the lightning strike so professionally, the title is a misnomer: it is not a 'thunderbolt' but a 'lightningbolt' or 'lightningstrike'!
claude camilleri
Sep 10th 2010, 14:10
Spare a thought for us . . . :(((
Burnt laptops, blown electrical systems, blown lightbulbs, scared guests.
But we survived.
At the time I was giving an interview to a team of German journalists and it was very scary.
I tell you, mark my word, that was the one interview that they will never forget. not because of the subject but because of that bolt of lightning.
It was scary.
Now, on with replacing the electrical system.
Sometimes no amount of protection can save you from the elements.
Super photo. thanks Malcolm.
C.
Christine Bright
Sep 10th 2010, 13:57
As everyone else here pointed out, the picture is fantastic.
Thanks for sharing. Keep it up!
Charmaine Marmara'
Sep 10th 2010, 13:43
amazing photo...well done malcolm...
M Vella
Sep 10th 2010, 13:18
Prosit Malcolm tal gen man :~
Joe Busuttil
Sep 10th 2010, 13:13
Great shot. I have never been able to capture one so artistic as yours. Again good work ,Malcolm.
Patrick Sacco
Sep 10th 2010, 12:52
Great photo.
My most sincere congratulations, Mr. Sammut.
Louis P. Risso
Sep 10th 2010, 12:48
Great photo Malcolm, thanks for sharing.........
lawrence
Sep 10th 2010, 12:43
that is just great Malcom, what kicks me is how we here on earth still cannot have any kind of power from such thing . my elec bills woulsd be less than lol
prosit gbin
Alexander Farrugia
Sep 10th 2010, 15:15
Simply because a lightning bolt is too powerful to capture.
Matthew Delicata
Sep 11th 2010, 01:27
although it's very powerful, it gives energy for such a short time that's it's unfeasible to set up an apparatus to handle the load in the offchance that lighting will strike it. It's not a question of not being able to handle it, rather, it does not make sense because it's difficult to say when and where they will strike and the short amount of time it gives off energy. btw I'm no engineer just did some basic research
victor pulis
Sep 10th 2010, 12:37
Amazing! one can almost imagine the sea parting under that bolt.
Alison Bagley
Sep 10th 2010, 12:19
Just a stunning shot!!
Edward Penza
Sep 10th 2010, 11:51
Another great shot - same location?
23360801@N02/" target="_blank">http://www.flickr.com/photos/23360801@N02/
Christian Camilleri
Sep 10th 2010, 12:28
The Pic In The News Is Mistra .. I Think That Yours Is In Ghadira Near The Boat Hoses And Foresta 2000 ..
David Cini
Sep 10th 2010, 11:35
very well done malcolm.....great photo
William Attard McCarthy
Sep 10th 2010, 11:17
Astounding, breathtaking, electrifying! Well done, Malcolm! A photo that every photographer would be proud of.
I was returning home from a wedding shoot last night at around midnight and was tempted to stop and set the camera on a tripod to capture some lightning shots... however there was no good enough shelter around, and I didn't want to risk it even though the camera manual says it's weatherproof :P Apart from that, Malcolm, always keep in mind and make sure that you're not the tallest/highest thing around during similar events! The sensor in a camera on a tripod is one hell of a lightning puller....
Well done!
www.mccarthysphotoworks.com
Christian Sciberras
Sep 10th 2010, 11:04
Impressive! That would make for a good addition to your portfolio, Malcolm.
Eman Pulis
Sep 10th 2010, 11:03
Wow Malc, this must be one of your best shots ever. You're always chasing the perfect moment, always on the go, camera in hand! Keep it up!
Kenneth Zammit Tabona
Sep 10th 2010, 10:59
Placid??? No landscape can be placid. It can be peaceful or tranquil but placid is entirely inappropriate
Well done to the photographer of course
axuereb
Sep 11th 2010, 05:03
My thought exactly, I am glad someone like yourself took the time to point it out :-).Perhaps the author of the piece wanted to say 'calm' or 'tranquil'. Awesome pic by the way, should be nominated for picture of the year, well done to the photographer.
Michelle Sullivan
Sep 10th 2010, 10:48
Great shot!
Catherine Leuz
Sep 10th 2010, 10:48
What an amazing photo...absolutely brilliant. Congratulations Malcolm and thank you for sharing it with us. Catherine Leuz
Licia Saywell
Sep 10th 2010, 10:23
Waw very nice picture ... good shot. Thank you for sharing it with us:)
Malcolm Pace
Sep 10th 2010, 10:18
A thunderbolt also struck a farmhouse in marsaxlokk last night right in front of my eyes. The noise was deafening and my hair actually stood on end for a few seconds.
Pity I did not have a camera at hand!
Mark Busuttil
Sep 10th 2010, 10:00
Wow, what a shocking image - it left me electrified!
Beautiful shot, you must have lightning reflexes. Whatever the case, it's a flash of genius.
OK enough already....
Excellent photo, love it.
Mr B J Simmons
Sep 10th 2010, 10:51
What a bright spark!!
Excellent photograph Mr Sammut, congratulations!
Steve Zammit
Sep 10th 2010, 09:45
Great shot Malcolm:)
Well done for capturing the moment and sharing it with us!Keep up the good work
M URBAN
Sep 10th 2010, 09:42
Excellent picture. Thank you for sharing. Keep it up, I hope to see more of your photos soon. Well done & bis!!
H Dempster
Sep 10th 2010, 09:34
That is clean energy. I wonder how much electricity one can generate from a thunderbolt like that.
Alexander Farrugia
Sep 10th 2010, 10:31
The energy would be enough to power whole cities for years. However, nothing man made (yet) is big or strong enough to be able to store this energy and use it at will.
D.Galea
Sep 10th 2010, 09:25
Please Malcolm Sammut, can you make this available in a higher resolution? I beg you. This makes a perfect wallpaper for my desktop! It's astoundingly beautiful! Sign it with your name, it would do you really good promotion.
E Vella
Sep 10th 2010, 09:07
very well done for the photo, however how come there is no sign of rain?
Marton Saliba
Sep 11th 2010, 12:43
Lightning, and thunder for the matter, occur when static charges in the cloud caused by particle movements in the cloud, become too much to handle for the charge cloud (not necessarily the actual cloud), and it will need to be discharged. Rain clouds provide that kind of charge-up, but it doesn't have to be raining per se.
reuben Chircop
Sep 10th 2010, 09:01
Prosit Malcolm as ever your shots are great and taken at the right instant. well done.
www.rchircop.com
r curmi
Sep 10th 2010, 08:57
wow well done malcolm
R. Azzopardi
Sep 10th 2010, 08:56
A photograph to be proud of. Well done Malcolm!
Alexander Lautier
Sep 10th 2010, 08:41
For those lovers of Photography, Malcolm gave us a morning picture, Well done.
Yes its true yesterday we was by the front of Bugibba and was amazing the skies with all those lightning.
rjcostigan
Sep 10th 2010, 08:34
Well done Malcolm.
This photo was taken somewhere from the street near
the Wignacourt Tower in St. Paul's Bay. The lightning struck
most probabaly in the sea between the point known as 'tal-mignuna'
in Mistra and 'tal-ghazzenien' in St. Paul's Bay.
Clint Calleja
Sep 10th 2010, 13:50
Just for your info. it isn't called 'tal-ghazzenien' but Thalassalejn.
Great Pic. mate
Marylu Coppini
Sep 10th 2010, 18:11
Okay once we're guessing... I think it's taken from Bugibba.
P.Potter
Sep 10th 2010, 08:27
perfect pic...and well done malcolm
Paul Tonna
Sep 10th 2010, 08:26
Excellent picture. well done. Can you also see the ghost of a boy on the small boat in the lower left side of the photo? He's wearing black and white striped trousers and bue shirt. Scary!!! There is a story of a boy who in 1932 died after being struck by a lightning while on a boat in Saint Paul's Bay. Is he haunting the location?? Could this photo have more to it than the lightning bolt?
Dillon
Sep 10th 2010, 13:36
That could be the reflection of the cloud, but it has a form of a person aswell !
RMangion
Sep 10th 2010, 08:21
Great picture :)
Richard Paul Agius
Sep 10th 2010, 08:17
Amazing !!!
S Vella
Sep 10th 2010, 08:15
WOW!!
Excellent picture, well done Malcolm, Perfect timing!!
Just amazing!!
josianne
Sep 10th 2010, 08:20
wooow, it's nice to have these kind of people sharing this with everyone like the flower in the sky of lija fireworks
Roderick Micallef
Sep 10th 2010, 08:10
Beautiful, well done Mr.Sammut you surely caught the moment :)
Neil Sant
Sep 10th 2010, 08:02
Is there such a thing as a thunderbolt? Isn't this technically a lightning bolt? I just wanna be sure about it. Thanks.
G Psaila
Sep 10th 2010, 08:19
My dictionary gives this definition of thunderbolt: "an electric discharge with lightning and thunder." Lovely pic.
A. Schembri
Sep 10th 2010, 09:27
Thunderbolt is a flash of lightning and the sound of thunder together
A flash of lightning that looks like a white line against the sky is a bolt of lightning not a lightning bolt.
Hope this clarifies. Well done Malcolm and thanks for sharing.
Adrian Borg
Sep 10th 2010, 09:44
Thunderbolts are heard and not seen, an other word for it is thunderclap. Lightning is what one sees.
Apart from this the photo is simply stunning
Neil Sant
Sep 10th 2010, 10:52
Yep that clarifies it. Thanks guys!
M. Rayner
Sep 10th 2010, 07:55
Now that what I call a professional photographer, well done Malcolm and thanks for sharing it with us
george abdilla
Sep 10th 2010, 16:35
Professional is a misnomer mate! a professional photographer is one who earns his living out of photography. an amateur is one who shoots for fun, as a hobby, an artistic expression. I know many amateurs who are simply masters of art and yet they are not professionals. nice shot malcolm. i was tempted to go out shooting but had an assignment to finish....
ray azzopardi
Sep 10th 2010, 07:55
bravo.
nataly muscat
Sep 10th 2010, 07:52
wow...this is amazing!!! what a shot :) one can appreciate the beauty of the natural elements more with this pic....thanks for sharing!!!!!
Josef Pisani
Sep 10th 2010, 07:50
Very impressive ! Good job ..
Eman Cassar
Sep 10th 2010, 07:36
Wow .. so cool :-)
Darren Mizzi
Sep 10th 2010, 07:29
Very nice indeed.....thank you for sharing this with us.
Stephen Koludrovic
Sep 10th 2010, 07:26
Nice shot.
Paul A Formosa
Sep 10th 2010, 07:25
Great photo and fantastic timing . well done.
Robert Henry Bugeja
Sep 10th 2010, 07:21
The picture of the year...
Very good Malcolm!