Orb (optics)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A single orb in the center of the photo, at the person's knee level

Early morning with clouds, early January 2006. No visible orbs.

Early morning with clouds and light rain, early January 2007. Many visible orbs.

The term orb describes unexpected, typically circular artifacts in photographs. Sometimes the artifact leaves a trail, indicating motion.

The technical photographic term for the occurrence of orbs, especially pronounced in modern ultra-compact cameras, is backscatter, orb backscatter or near-camera reflection.

[edit] Cause

Due to the size limitations of the modern compact and ultra-compact cameras, especially digital cameras, the distance between the lens and the built-in flash has decreased, thereby decreasing the angle of light reflection to the lens and increasing the likelihood of light reflection off normally sub-visible particles. Hence, the orb artifact is commonplace with small digital or film camera photographs.

The orb artifact can result from reflection of light off solid particles (e.g., dust, pollen), liquid particles (water droplets - especially rain) or other foreign material within the camera lens.

The image artifacts usually appear as either white or semi-transparent circles, though may also occur with whole or partial color spectrums, purple fringing or other chromatic aberration. With rain droplets, an image may capture light passing through the droplet creating a small rainbow effect.

Underwater photographers notice the effect also, which occurs for the same reason as above-water photographic artifacts. Sand, small sea life or other particles close to the lens, invisible to the diver, reflect light from the flash causing the orb artifact in the image. A strobe flash, which distances the flash from the lens, eliminates the artifacts.

It could be seen how in the first image that there are not orbs, however in the second photograph there are many of them. Also it could be seen how the photograph with orbs is taken with flash. The orbs didn't exist they are just dust close to the camera. If you want to try, take a photo close to a construction or a desert with flash and a 1/100s speed, and you will have ORBS.

[edit] Paranormal interpretation

In addition to optical effects, orbs have also been considered^[who?] in some circumstances to represent various kinds of paranormal phenomena such as light beings, aliens, extraterrestrial spacecraft, ghosts, or some type of elemental being. While there are scientific explanations for the appearance or orbs in some photographs, existing scientific theories fail to explain all such appearances^{[citation needed]}. An example is the consistent appearance or orbs and other moving light phenomena in photographs at certain locations such as the ECETI ranch in southern Washington state near Mt. Adams. Orbs consistently appear in large quantities in photographs here regardless of the type of camera used, regardless of the time of day or weather conditions. The preponderance of orbs at such locations exceed current scientific explanations and remain unexplained phenomena.

[edit] Example images

Examples of orb artifacts reflecting solid or liquid particles:

Dust orb	Dust orbs	Thick charcoal dust	Charcoal dust floating in the air
Rain orbs, camera zoomed out	Rain orbs, camera zoomed in	Rain orbs with coma (tails) and chromatic aberration visible	Close up orb, showing purple fringing and the cat's eye effect

[edit] External links

• ECETI Ranch Website for ECETI ranch and James Gilliland including photos and video of orb phenomena as well as new reports covering the unexplained phenomena.
• Science of Orb Photos An article on orb photos. A mathematical framework is given using holography theory.
• The Orb Zone: Orbs Explained Presenting the scientific evidence and accessible explanations for the orb phenomena.
• ASSAP ASSAP's website has several pages showing how various different 'types' of orb (coloured, oddly-shaped, bright, transparent, etc.) can readily be reproduced (includes diagrams and photos).
• UW Photo with OrbsThree tips for Underwater Photography. First tip discusses backscattering with concise description and instruction on prevention. Picture provided showing plentiful backscatter which all look like orbs.