Ball lightning is a peculiar phenomenon of weather illusions where a luminous, glowing ball- like object floats horizontally through the air. Sometimes it occurs in the size of a pea, basketball, a golf ball or even a grapefruit. The most striking feature about this ball lightning is that it has a mysterious origin. Many people have reported to have witnessed this weird phenomenon, but no concrete evidence has been found. In the old times this weather illusion was considered fictitious but in this modern age of Science and technology, scientists have probed into this matter and have discovered that such bizarre phenomenon in nature does exist! However the nature of this ball lightning is still disputed and sensible theories have not yet been established to explicate it.

Ball lightning differs from general lightning in various ways. While the flashes of lightning last for just a fraction of a second, the ball lightning continues for some seconds or more. The strange spherical object hangs around at an altitude of about ten feet. Sometimes the ball lightning occurs in lucent layers or moving sparks. Some people have also seen them in varying colors of red, yellow, blue and white.

With its shape ranging from circular, oval to teardrop, ball lightning has an approximate diameter of 20-30 cm or can even extend upto few meters. The ball lightning may either explode with tremendous violence thus proving detrimental to life and property or it may also disappear silently. This electrifying ball lightning may also react with flesh and cause severe burns.