Atmospheric ghost lights

Atmospheric ghost lights are lights (or fires) that appear in the atmosphere without an obvious cause. Examples include the onibi, hitodama and will-o'-wisp. They are often seen in humid climates.

According to legend, some lights are wandering spirits of the dead, the work of devils or yōkai, or the pranks of fairies. They are feared by some people as a portent of death. In other parts of the world, there are folk beliefs that supernatural fires appear where treasure is buried; these fires are said to be the spirits of the treasure or the spirits of humans buried with grave goods. Atmospheric ghost lights are also sometimes thought to be related to UFOs.

Some ghost lights such as St. Elmo's fire or the shiranui have been explained as optical phenomena of light emitted through electrical activity. Other types may be due to combustion of flammable gases, ball lightning, meteors, torches and other human-made fires, the misperception of human objects, and pranks.

The Min Min light is a phenomenon believed to occur in outback Australia. The lights originate from before European colonization but have now become part of modern urban folklore.

The St. Louis light is a mysterious beam of white light reported near St. Louis, Saskatchewan.

In addition to the onibi and hitodama, there are other examples of atmospheric ghost lights in legend, such as the kitsunebi and the shiranui:

The Hessdalen lights are unexplained lights occurring in the remote valley of Hessdalen, with reports dating back to at least the 1930s.

The Longdendale lights are lights reported in the sky over part of the Peak District in northern England, with stories dating back hundreds of years.