Will o' the wisp

A will-o'-the-wisp or ignis fatuus (Medieval Latin: "foolish fire") is a ghostly light.  It is seen by travellers at night, especially over bogs, swamps or marshes. 

Usually will o' the wisp looks like a ball of light or a small flame. UFOs and some ghost lights are different, they are usually in the sky while will o' the wisps are near ground.

It looks like a flickering lamp and is said to go farther back if approached.  This draws travellers from the safe paths. This is a folk belief in a lot of English folklore and in much of European folklore.  They are often said to be the work of fairies or elemental spirits.  Some people think will o' the wisps are souls, spirits or spaceships.

Scientists try to use a natural explanation. Some say they are a gas, like methane, that goes up from the ground and burns. Other people say they are electric things, like ball lightning. One flying ball of light was explained: it was an owl that had a bright stomach.A Review of accounts of luminosity in Barn Owls Sometimes animals or fungus make some light - this is called bioluminescence by scientists or foxfire. Sometimes diphosphine (P2H4) is also produced over marshes, which are highly flammable. Therefore, it burns in air and causes a flickering glow.

There are many old and new stories about will o' the wisps around the world. These lights have different names in different cultures and languages. Some of the names are jack-o'-lantern, hinkypunk, hobby lantern in English.

Reported light locations

Europe
 Ferbane in Ireland
 Hessdalen light in Norway
 Martebo lights in Sweden
 Paasselkä devil in Finland
 Virvatuluke in Estonia
 Dwaallichtjes in the Low Countries
 Corpse Candles in Wales 

North America
Canada
 Fireship of Baie des Chaleurs in New Brunswick
 St. Louis Light in Saskatchewan

United States
 Arbyrd/Senath Light of Missouri
 Bragg Road ghost light (Light of Saratoga) of Texas
 Brown Mountain Lights of North Carolina
 Gurdon light of Arkansas
 Hornet ghost light or Spooklight of Missouri-Oklahoma state line
 Maco light of North Carolina
 Marfa lights of Texas
 Oviedo Lights of Florida
 The Paulding Light of Michigan's Upper Peninsula
 Skinwalker Ranch lights of Utah

Related pages
 Omphalotus olearius

References

Category:Folklore