The Saint Elmo's fire (short: Elms fire) is a rare light phenomenon caused by electrical discharges during thunderstorms. The St Elmo's fire occurs on exposed, high objects, such as ship masts. It resembles small, tufted lightning bolts that flicker around the object with a typical buzzing sound. Saint Elmo's fires are caused by corona discharges in the atmosphere. St Elmo's fires glow blue-violet due to oxygen and nitrogen in the earth's atmosphere. St Elmo's fire was first observed at churches of St Erasmus.
The name is therefore derived from St Erasmus of Antioch (Italian: Elmo), who was invoked by sailors in stormy weather. A St Elmo's fire on the mast was rightly interpreted as an ominous sign, as the phenomenon often indicates an imminent lightning strike. In literature, it was also used as an omen signalling doom, for example in Shakespeare's "The Tempest" or in Melville's "Moby Dick". The St Elmo's fire itself is not really dangerous despite the high voltage and the electrical tension in the atmosphere.
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