St. Elmo's fire facts for kids
St. Elmo's fire (also known as St. Elmo's light) is a cool weather event. It looks like a bright, glowing ball of light. You can often see it near pointed things. Think of a ship's mast or an airplane's wing. It's actually a type of plasma. This plasma forms when electricity in the air creates a glow. This happens around sharp objects during strong electrical conditions.
What Causes St. Elmo's Fire?
St. Elmo's fire happens because of a strong electric field in the air. An electric field is an area where electric forces can act. These strong fields can be made by big thunderstorms. They can also come from volcanic eruptions. When the air is full of electricity, it can cause a "coronal discharge." This is a fancy way of saying electricity jumps off pointed objects. This jump creates the glowing light we call St. Elmo's fire.
Why Is It Called St. Elmo's Fire?
This glowing light is named after St. Erasmus of Formia. He is also known as St. Elmo. St. Elmo is the patron saint of sailors. Sailors often saw this strange fire on their ships. This usually happened during big thunderstorms at sea.
Sailors had different ideas about what the fire meant. Some thought it was a religious sign. They believed it showed that St. Elmo was watching over them. This made them feel safe. Others worried it was a sign of bad luck. This was because strong electricity in the air can mess up a ship's compass. No matter what they thought, it was always a memorable sight for them.
Images for kids
-
St Elmo's Fire viewed through the flight deck of a KC-10 aircraft.
.jpg)
See also
In Spanish: Fuego de San Telmo para niños
