Thursday 5 April 2012

Lightening

It does strike twice! Tour guide captures amazing images of lightning bolts hitting the same spot over and over again

By Daily Mail Reporter
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They say lighting doesn’t strike the same place twice but these bolts have bombarded the same area over eleven hair-raising minutes.
Each individual lightning bolt pounds the ground with an average power of one billion volts, so the force of dozens of bolts a second over more than ten minutes can barely be imaged.
Tour guide, Roch Hart, 52, took these incredible shots from his roof in Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA, just two miles away from the lightning strikes.
Captured: A tour guide in Albuquerque, New Mexico captured an 11 minute lightning storm that repeatedly pounded the earth disqualifying any rule that lightning doesn't strike the same place twice
Captured: A tour guide in Albuquerque, New Mexico captured an 11 minute lightning storm that repeatedly pounded the earth disqualifying any rule that lightning doesn't strike the same place twice
Voltage: The bolts pounded the ground with an average power of one billion volts
Voltage: The bolts pounded the ground with an average power of one billion volts
'After a day of tours I noticed this storm develop,' said Mr Hart.
'Realising the potential I ran to the roof, stationed the camera on my tripod and began taking photos.

'The storm was unleashing all its power only in one area. 
'Due to Albuquerque’s high altitude of over 5,200 feet, plus the very dry atmosphere and moisture from the Gulf of Mexico, the conditions were right for multiple lightning strikes in a short time.'
Recipe: Albuquerque's high altitude of over 5,200 feet attracts the lighting with its added dry atmosphere and moisture from the Gulf of Mexico
Recipe: Albuquerque's high altitude of over 5,200 feet attracts the lighting with its added dry atmosphere and moisture from the Gulf of Mexico
Fatalities: Over 200 people a year are killed in the US by lightning strikes, and New Mexico is often the state with the most deaths
Fatalities: Over 200 people a year are killed in the US by lightning strikes, and New Mexico is often the state with the most deaths
Precaution: The concern of getting hit kept tour guide and photographer Roch Hart on his toes, while also away from the highest points around him
Precaution: The concern of getting hit kept tour guide and photographer Roch Hart on his toes, while also away from the highest points around him
Over 200 people a year are killed in the US by lightning strikes, and New Mexico is often the state with the most deaths.
Mr Hart explained why he had to be careful when taking these awesome pictures.
'You take every precaution to not be that highest object, yet it is possible to still be hit,' he said.
'The scariest moments are at night when you can’t see the storm developing over your head. 
Unpredictable: Mr Hart says that even if you take every precaution to not be hit, including not being the highest object around, it can still happen
Unpredictable: Mr Hart says that even if you take every precaution to not be hit, including not being the highest object around, it can still happen
Surprise: He adds that the scariest moments for lightning storms are at night when you're not aware a storm is developing over head until a bright light and clap thunders above you
Surprise: He adds that the scariest moments for lightning storms are at night when you're not aware a storm is developing over head until a bright light and clap thunders above you
The chase: Mr Hart calls his hobby of photographing lighting exhilarating, one he hopes will take him around the world one day
The chase: Mr Hart calls his hobby of photographing lighting exhilarating, one he hopes will take him around the world one day
'All of a sudden a very bright light with amazing power conveyed by the clap of thunder makes you dive to the ground, then gather up your stuff and head for cover. 
'The power and sound is very exhilarating and with each strike you capture you want more. 
'Photographing lightning has become a passion.
'Someday I would hope to travel the world in capturing lightning.'

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