what is st. elmo's fire?

[harrier]

i was looking at a picture on airliners.net when i read it wrote "notice the st. elmo's fire" i was wondering, what is it?

[Red_Beaver2]

Isn't St. Elmos Fire a movie from the eighties? I thought it was.

[caldrivr]

St. Elmos fire is the discharge of static electricity usually across the cockpit windshield. It is pretty cool looking, like fingers of lightning across the windshield

[harrier]

really! then, where does the static elctricity come from? is it dangerous?

[harrier]

for those wondering, go to: http://airliners.net/open.file?id=14507

[Red_Beaver2]

AND.......................... It was also a movie from the eighties starring d: Joel Schumacher Emilio Estevez, Rob Lowe, Andrew McCarthy, Demi Moore, Judd Nelson, Ally Sheedy, Andie MacDowell, Mare Winningham


For all those people out there who care....