Have you ever taken a picture only to discover a strange ball of light lingering? If so, you’re certainly not alone. The concept of orbs have floated around for years, along with theories meant to disprove the phenomenon. Many paranormal experts and investigators believe that these artifacts are spirits in another form while others in the field and skeptics deem them as nothing strange or unusual.
The controversy surrounding orbs has always been a fascinating one. Simply scrolling through Instagram, I’ll sometimes see others go nuts over orbs and photographic anomolies that are hard to distinguish. Some will see faces in the orbs while some say it’s nothing paranormal at all. It can be a challenging subject to discuss and agree on.
Possible Explanations
A possible explanation for this is often referred to as backscatter photography. It may look like a spooky ball of light but it may be nothing more than an optical phenomenon where the camera’s flash is reflected from unfocused dust or air particles, even water droplets. This often occurs with ultra-compact and compact digital cameras in areas with low or poor lighting. It can also occur as the result of foreign objects or materials within the lens that you are not aware of. The orbs caused by this are usually white or semi-transparent, similar to how paranormal orbs are often described. When it comes to rain droplets, light may be captured through the drop which may create a rainbow-like effect on the image.
Bugs may also be misinterpreted as a ghostly orb if you’re taking a still photograph. Rapid wing movement or rapid movement in general may cause a circular blurred effect. But on video, bugs are usually easier to distinguish due to the movement of their wings and how they move overall.
Note
You may be reading this, thinking that all I’m trying to do is debunk them and say that they’re fake but that is not it at all. To me, distinguishing an orb is one of the trickest parts about the paranormal and I’m not sure where I stand on them just yet. I’m by no means an expert but I’m discussing this to alert people on what to look out for as mistakes rigarding orbs are especially common. Hell, I’ve mistaken dust and camera flashes for orbs plenty of times and it can be frustrating. Ghosts and spirits can reach out in many ways so it wouldn’t surprise me that some take on this circular shape to appear and make contact. Whatever you believe, make sure you take practicality into account so you don’t make the same mistake over and over again.
Thank you for reading this week’s post! If you learned anything or enjoyed it, consider subscribing below to keep updated with Paranormal Ally! Happy Haunting!
More haunted history below…
3:00 – The Witching Hour
You wake up, eyes blurry. They quickly adjust and you peer at your phone screen while it charges. It’s 3:00 am. Other than the ounce of light your phone lends, its dark all around you. You’re alone. Or you’re supposed to be. But somethings off. 3 am seems to be the eeriest time of the…
SOLD – The Warren Occult Museum Purchased
The Warren Occult Museum, a significant site in paranormal history, was recently purchased by comedian Matt Rife and youtuber Elton Castee for one million dollars. Their enthusiasm for the paranormal surprised many. Though this news was met mixed reactions, perhaps it may safeguard the museum’s legacy, ensuring respectful preservation of its iconic haunted items and…
The Mystery of Telekinesis
Have you ever tried to move an object without your hands? Perhaps, you’ve tried to use ‘The Force’ (I have, obviously as a joke). These days, most of us know it’s not something that is actually possible in the general population, due to no reliable evidence. But it didn’t use to always be that way.…
Paranormal Addict 
I think that it’s easier to distinguish a real orb when it’s caught on video instead of a photo. That way, you can see the way that the orb is moving (e.g. moving straight up, down, in strange jagged movements) because it’s unlikely that a bug would make those movements. That’s just my experience, though.
LikeLike
I wasn’t trying to say that bugs are more easier to distinguish than orbs lol I just think that bugs are easy to rule out in video
LikeLiked by 1 person
I see! I just realized you had said the exact same thing in your post lol, must have accidentally skipped over that part. I was actually agreeing with you because I meant like it’s harder to distinguish between orbs and bugs in photos but it’s easier in video, by the movement of their wings and overall, like you said. 🙂 Great post, by the way!
LikeLike
Not a problem at all! I completely agree 🙂 and thank you so much, I’m so happy you enjoyed it 😊
LikeLiked by 1 person