what exactly are orbs?

[Blue_Roses]

and how can you tell whether one is a real orb or a dust orb? I'll try to post some pictures of what I'm talking about.

[JanusAscending]

1. According to one of my favorite shows...

"Ghost Hunters" Orbs are "energy" and produce their own light. Dust particals need a source of reflected light to be seen. I have some photos of orbs on the ASAH site, and I choose to believe that they are NOT dust.

[MorningGlow]

2. I can tell if an orb is an entity if I mess around with the photo in Photoshop

I did this a while ago with a few photos to try to tell the difference between energy orbs and simple dust particles. Basically I messed with some of the levels in Photoshop (forgive me--I don't recall which ones, and PS is on my other computer, but if you really want to know, I can fire it up and take a look). By altering the "exposure" and the "heat" (again, I forget the exact names of the options), true orbs brightened up and appeared to have mass, look more solid, while the dust particles did not.

Scientific? Not by a long shot. But it worked for me.

[BlueIris]

3. Woah, that's really interesting.

Makes me want to get Photoshop and check it out some more (haven't used the PShop since '99 or so.)

[MorningGlow]

4. I haven't used it in a couple of years, myself

I used to use it for doctoring clip art for newsletters, but I haven't done newsletters in quite some time. And now, what with iPhoto and such for my pictures, I really have no need for it (and a good thing too, as to get another copy for my laptop would cost an arm and a leg).

[Blue_Roses]

5. sure MG...

that would be great! I have some pics but I can't get them to load up right (yes, I'm challenged in that area!) but will keep trying.

I think they are really fascinating...

[rumpel]

6. Rhine Institute explains it to be reflections

especially those with digital cameras. But it says, not all.

the interesting differentiation the researcher does is: that if you can not physically see the orbs, and only the camera shows some orbs after the fact - it is probably not an entity. from a link at http://www.rhine.org/populartopics.htm
http://www.mindreader.com/Photos/

However, Mad Bear (book) also refers to orb-like lights as beings. So my mind is open on this.

Now, in Japan (sorry - again) there is something called "Hitodama", literal translation "person ball". At some point, my mother anthropologist, suggested that perhaps certain conditions create the right chemical reaction from phosphate in the bones of the deceased, particularly around grave sites. :shrug:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hitodama