Re: Natural streamer :)

["Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>]

Original poster: "Ed Phillips by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <evp-at-pacbell-dot-net>

Tesla list wrote:
> 
> Original poster: "by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <A123X-at-aol-dot-com>
> 
> If you bring metal objects near enough to an operating TC you will get corona
> off the object even if it's too far for an actual strike to occur.  I've also
> found that if you run a marx generator with the firing gaps small enough to
> fire but the main gap too wide you'll still be able to see very dim sparks at
> each end of the main gap when it tries to fire.
> 
> Mark

	When I run my "big" [18" sparks, but only 35 microamps short-circuit
current] VDG everything within several feet stars to show visible
discharge.  If they sharp points are close there isn't much voltage
rise.  If I approach it with my hand I'm liable to get zapped, but if I
hold a pin in my hand [pointed toward the terminal, of course] and
approach nothing much happens.  Same phenomenon.

	"St. Elmo's fire" is another manifestation of the same sort of thing.

Ed