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Huntn

macrumors Core
Original poster
May 5, 2008
23,484
26,601
The Misty Mountains
Ever done one? We are moving into the right time of year to send chills up and down our spines. ;)

The wife and I watch several of the current ghost shows, primarily Ghost Hunters featuring the plumbers from TAPS- The Atlantic Paranormal Society (and if you've not watched it, yes they were plumbers before being struck by fame). Of all the ghost shows we have watched, Ghost Hunters seem to be the most realistic, although being a TV show, does not ensure authenticity.

Last night we decided to go on a ghost walk and living in Houston, we decided on the the Old Town Spring Spirit Quest sponsored by a local company- Spirit Quest. If you don't want to read the rest, to summarize we had a good time and got lots of pictures of orbs (link below), which are considered the most common evidence of spirits floating around in this world.

They started by discussing the tools they use to do paranormal investigations, showed pictures of evidence, orbs, ectoplasm, dark shadows, cold spots, and critiqued the many ghost shows by saying that a one night investigation is usually inadequate, especially when it comes to proclaiming a location is ghost free. From a logic standpoint, if you think that ghosts may exist, I agree that most likely it would take more than one night.

Anyway, the ghost walk consisted of visiting many of the haunted Old Town Spring locations. Some of these places had been investigated and mostly they talked about their experiences. This included a "medium" who had communicated with spirits during their investigations and said she was communicating to a spirit at one location while on our tour.

The most common recorded evidence according to our hosts are "orbs" little balls of light that you can't see but appear abundantly on cameras. We brought a camera and I took about 100 shots, and caught a couple dozen orbs. I can't explain them, but there they were and here they are if you'd like to see them. Some of the orbs are hard to see when viewed online and in some of the pictures I duplicated them and added pointers. They recommended that when shooting to take at least 3 pictures in a row, which I did. Some pictures have nothing, followed by the same shot a second later, with orbs in them. Unfortunately I don't have a good example to show of orbs moving.

Curious if we have any paranormal hobbyists or skeptics among our readers who would care to comment pro or con regarding orbs? Or a technical, explainable reason why a camera would record an orb? :) Anyway, it was a fun way to spend the evening.

Now was it real or just entertainment? I'm sure a paranormal investigation might be a more convincing experience. Although I've taken pictures of many orbs on a ghost walk, ultimately you are still mostly at the mercy of the hosts. Are they telling the truth or just entertaining you? Our hosts seem to be sincere, I got some pictures of orbs, but does that prove anything? No. However, I'm still open minded to the possibility of spirits and hauntings. :D

Orb Link 1
Orb Link2
Dust/Environmental vs Spirit Orbs
Fake Orbs?
Examples of Dust Orbs

Examples of Dust Orbs:
dust-orbs1-300x240.jpg
 
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(marc)

macrumors 6502a
Sep 15, 2010
724
2
the woods
I guess the "orbs" are little particles in the air (for example snowflakes). When you take pictures with a flash, they get really bright because they are closer to the flash compared to the focused object.
 
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Huntn

macrumors Core
Original poster
May 5, 2008
23,484
26,601
The Misty Mountains
I guess the "orbs" are little particles in the air (for example snowflakes). When you take pictures with a flash, they get really bright because they are closer to the flash compared to the focused object.

I'm not saying they are ghosts, but they don't look like particles/dust in the air to me. :)

Yep, it's just dust. This has been proven over and over.

I'll do some research. Do you have a link by chance? Just found this one: Dust/Environmental vs Spirit Orbs
 
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(marc)

macrumors 6502a
Sep 15, 2010
724
2
the woods
I'm not saying they are ghosts, but they don't look like particles/dust in the air to me. :)

They are so huge because they are out of focus (search for depth of field) and they are so bright because they are closer to the flash than the object in focus (e.g. people). :)
 

Huntn

macrumors Core
Original poster
May 5, 2008
23,484
26,601
The Misty Mountains
They are so huge because they are out of focus (search for depth of field) and they are so bright because they are closer to the flash than the object in focus (e.g. people). :)

I think the trick would be to figure out how far away these things are from the camera. If they are dust being illuminated by the flash, then they would have to be close to the camera. However some of them look like they are far away, but that is not proof. ;) At one of the locations they said the best place to catch them was up along the roof line. Sure enough that is where I caught them. Proof? no... :p
 

Koodauw

macrumors 68040
Nov 17, 2003
3,951
190
Madison
I used to believe in the paranormal, then I watched ghost hunters, where in over 4 seasons they had maybe 3 pieces of evidences that showed anything paranormal, but could still bea number of other things. Then I stopped believing.

I do like the on on AE, I think its paranormal state, when the discuss the demons/devil stuff.
 

CalBoy

macrumors 604
May 21, 2007
7,849
37
I'm not saying they are ghosts, but they don't look like particles/dust in the air to me. :)

What does this look like to you?:


NSFW


(but not really)







step33.jpg


Although it might look vaguely pornographic, it is in fact not. It's nothing more than a pair of fingers made to look like something else.

Link

Images can be deceptive. What we often think is something is actually something else entirely.
 

0098386

Suspended
Jan 18, 2005
21,574
2,908
Hah at those "orbs".

One time I was nodding off and saw a blue glow near my Powerbook. I thought "ah I forgot to unplug the charger". A few minutes later I realised they don't glow blue, opened my eyes and saw a proper blue ball glowing ball thing, only dull but lit up everything around it in a nice soft blue light. Didn't know what the frig it was but made me jump up, which woke the girlfriend up who also saw it "what the ****?!" she shouted as it just vanished over 3 seconds.
I don't believe in ghosts or anything like that, but I'd love to know what that thing was!

Yeah I wouldn't do a ghost walk. There are loads of stories around here involving ghost horses that gallop around, "black dogs" and mischievous fairies. They're all quite interesting really, gives the area a bit of character.
Then there are the real stories such as big cats that were freed onto the moors and have the occasional sighting. If someone did a walk about those I'd go :p.
 

Jaffa Cake

macrumors Core
Aug 1, 2004
19,801
9
The City of Culture, Englandshire
I've been on a few, and found them very enjoyable. I should say though that they weren't walks that promised ghosts or spooky experiences though – I wouldn't be to inclined to go for those – but rather walks around the town centre interspersed with the guide telling some spooky tales and a bit of local history.

The walk we did in Nottingham stands out – our guide was an excellent storyteller, and part of the walk took place in the caves below the city streets which was rather cool.
 

QuarterSwede

macrumors G3
Oct 1, 2005
9,785
2,033
Colorado Springs, CO
I don't believe in ghosts or anything like that, but I'd love to know what that thing was!
I've always believed in the afterlife but never in the visibility of them as ghosts. That's until I saw my grandfather at night the day he was killed on his motorcycle by a drunk driver.

I was dead asleep on a cot in the living room when I suddenly awoke. I remember the light on the hallway being on (1) and felt something behind my head. I slowly looked backward to see my grandfather sitting on the couch smiling at me. I remember exactly what he was wearing (2) even though I hadn't seen him that day. He wasn't see through or floating. He was sitting there like anyone else would be looking absolutely content. I was so frightened that I shut my eyes and fell back asleep.

It wasn't a dream. Regardless of the movie Inception when you're lucid dreaming you know you're in a dream the second you become aware, there is no questioning it; I've had several and reality is something very more aware. This wasn't a regular dream either. I've never felt how cold it is or the air blowing on my arm and face in a dream.

All that said, it is something you really have to experience yourself first hand to believe.

1. Hallway light was off when I went to sleep. Grandmother had gotten up in the middle of the night because she couldn't sleep (understandably).
2. Confirmed by my mother and grandmother who had seen him. Why a ghost was wearing clothes, I have no clue.
 

CalBoy

macrumors 604
May 21, 2007
7,849
37
I've always believed in the afterlife but never in the visibility of them as ghosts. That's until I saw my grandfather at night the day he was killed on his motorcycle by a drunk driver.

I was dead asleep on a cot in the living room when I suddenly awoke. I remember the light on the hallway being on (1) and felt something behind my head. I slowly looked backward to see my grandfather sitting on the couch smiling at me. I remember exactly what he was wearing (2) even though I hadn't seen him that day. He wasn't see through or floating. He was sitting there like anyone else would be looking absolutely content. I was so frightened that I shut my eyes and fell back asleep.

It wasn't a dream. Regardless of the movie Inception when you're lucid dreaming you know you're in a dream the second you become aware, there is no questioning it; I've had several and reality is something very more aware. This wasn't a regular dream either. I've never felt how cold it is or the air blowing on my arm and face in a dream.

All that said, it is something you really have to experience yourself first hand to believe.

1. Hallway light was off when I went to sleep. Grandmother had gotten up in the middle of the night because she couldn't sleep (understandably).
2. Confirmed by my mother and grandmother who had seen him. Why a ghost was wearing clothes, I have no clue.

Since you're making a positive assertion that you think you saw a ghost, I hope you don't mind if I ask a few questions. :)

1) Had you consumed any drugs that day (ie sleeping aids)?
2) How specific were you in your description about his clothing? Did you wait for your grandmother to describe the clothing first, or did you tell her what you saw first?
3)Are you 100% certain you saw no pictures of him that day? Are you 100% certain you never had the chance to see what he might have had on that day? Are you 100% certain you did not overhear what he was wearing from someone else that day?
4) Did he look young or old while sitting on the couch?
5) Was your grandfather one to own a lot of clothes?
6) What exactly do you remember him wearing?
7) What month of the year did this happen?
 
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