11 replies to this topic

[LanceM]

How can you tell the difference between dust orbs and ghost orbs?

[Laurie Ann]

Very good question...although it maybe hard to answer because no one is an expert in the field yet. Unless one of us dies, then becomes a spirit, *THEN* able to tell us how spirits show themselves in other ways than in body form well, I think it's just one of those questions that will take years to find the answer to.

Some folks believe that a dust orb appears one way, while others believe that spirits have only enough energy to show themselves in orb-form...regardless of what the orb looks like.

Now you've got me wanting to go look in the archives of GV here & see if anyone has come up with an answer for this. Good question none the less

[CaveRat2]

Easiest way I use is since a ghost orb is supposed to be energy it will emit light of its own accord. That is it will either illuminate nearby object in the picture or will cause objects to cast shadows.

If it is a passive orb it will cause a shadow of itself to be seen in the picture. The light reflected back from an object of any appreciable size will have to be blocked from hitting the background behind it, thus the shadow. Consider if you held a baseball in place about 6 feet from the camera (average claimed distance for orbs). The ball will cast a shadow of itself.

Dust orbs are very small and as such will not cast a shadow of themselves. They also require the flash to illuminate them. Thus any orb falling in this last category (most do) are dust or particulate matter near the camera.

[LanceM]

Easiest way I use is since a ghost orb is supposed to be energy it will emit light of its own accord. That is it will either illuminate nearby object in the picture or will cause objects to cast shadows.

If it is a passive orb it will cause a shadow of itself to be seen in the picture. The light reflected back from an object of any appreciable size will have to be blocked from hitting the background behind it, thus the shadow. Consider if you held a baseball in place about 6 feet from the camera (average claimed distance for orbs). The ball will cast a shadow of itself.

Dust orbs are very small and as such will not cast a shadow of themselves. They also require the flash to illuminate them. Thus any orb falling in this last category (most do) are dust or particulate matter near the camera.

thanks for clearing that up for me! i have also heard that orbs may seem to contain a nucleus, but to me dust also seems to have that sort of look so i wasnt sure if there was anything else to really go by. if you or anyone else has any other ways to tell the difference please let me know. thanks again.

Edited by LanceM, 21 October 2009 - 03:29 PM.

[CaveRat2]

The nucleus effect is actually a chromatic aberration caused by the characteristics of the light going through the lens. Since it is far beyond the normal depth of field, the colors are separated as they go through the differing thickness of the glass. this causes the "nucleus" effect.

[LanceM]

The nucleus effect is actually a chromatic aberration caused by the characteristics of the light going through the lens. Since it is far beyond the normal depth of field, the colors are separated as they go through the differing thickness of the glass. this causes the "nucleus" effect.

so its basically colors just separated by the lens?

[CaveRat2]

That is correct with regards to dust / particulate matter.

While we are on the subject, another factor to consider regarding energy orbs. They will not have well defined edges. The reason is in theory the energy is radiating from the focal point. But energy follows the inverse square laws. As you get farther from its point of origin it weakens. Thus an energy orb would be brightest at the center, then gradually fade as you move away from the center, not the well defined edges most orb photos display. There is nothing phsical to confine the energy around an orb so the laws apply. Now if the orb had a "shell" of some kind you might get this well defined edge, but then the shell or its effects (shadows) would be visible as well. I 've never seen that effect in any photo, but if I do then I'll have to rethink this part of the theory.

[LanceM]

That is correct with regards to dust / particulate matter.

While we are on the subject, another factor to consider regarding energy orbs. They will not have well defined edges. The reason is in theory the energy is radiating from the focal point. But energy follows the inverse square laws. As you get farther from its point of origin it weakens. Thus an energy orb would be brightest at the center, then gradually fade as you move away from the center, not the well defined edges most orb photos display. There is nothing phsical to confine the energy around an orb so the laws apply. Now if the orb had a "shell" of some kind you might get this well defined edge, but then the shell or its effects (shadows) would be visible as well. I 've never seen that effect in any photo, but if I do then I'll have to rethink this part of the theory.

never thought of that before. thanks for clearing all of that up for me and giving me advice on what to look for. greatly appreciate it!

Edited by LanceM, 22 October 2009 - 03:14 PM.

[Tanner_TVP]

Telling energy from dust is only one problem with orbs. Orbs happen naturally. They are just free floating bubbles of energy. They can be from an abundance natural energy or be caused by leakage from poorly insolated wires and outlets. Sometimes you can catch them leaking out of old electrical boxes if you set a camera up near it. I’m not saying that ghosts don’t manifest in this was, but it’s to easily disproven. That’s why we don’t use them to base our findings.

[Haunting Research]

This is actually very easy really but often times very misunderstood.

A real paranormal orb will emit its own light and have mass to it. It will appear 3 dimensional.

A dust orb will look very thin and semi-transparent. If it has a ring around it and a nucleus is is ALWAYS a dust orb or pollen, etc.

Here are a couple links to video that show real orbs and how they should look:





The second video is of an orb that manifests into a shadow. Enjoy!

[RodoBabbins]

Most of what a dust orb is can be seen during video with IR, the orb will change in brightness. Becoming brighter has it moves to center of frame then dimming as it leaves the frame. Now this is not going to be the case for shooting in light or during the day since there is equal amount of visable light. What the others have said is correct with what we know currently on Orbs, that true orbs will produce their own light. Now with that thinking if the orb is in fact true It will also create a shadow of itself since it is an object as well. But this is just my 2cents

[outsider39]

I have only seen a few orbs that I felt were spirit orbs.These orbs could be seen in the daylight with the naked eye.They were that bright.Some of them could hover in the air like a flying saucer,then they could go from being still to a tremendous rate of speed in just a second.You could not see through them and they looked three dimensional as mentioned in previous emails.Orbs can often be seen in groups at battlefields and other places where a lot of people died such as at the site of a major fire.To me they look like a ball of light with great intensity.