phosphorescence

[daveyboy]

was out last night and was clearing weed off the line in the dark. when i touched the weed it started sparkling. looked a bit like a cross between some silver tinsel and glowing maggots! I put the head torch on and it didn't happen when i touched the weed but headlamp off and it was glowing again. Guess this must be phosphorescence? or i'm losing it?!!

[Deise boy]

Your right.
See it lots where I go.
Like lightning blue colour and sparkling.
Nice to look at also. Almost impossible to get a photo of.
Reflects off the moo.

[johnwest]

Over the years I have seen this a number of times, there is a faint purple type which I think is produced by microscopic organisms, perhaps diatoms. I recall it at Greenore, Louth, when every step on the stony beach produced a glowing footprint. The other type is a yellow colour produced by larger, but still v. small, plankton. If you disturbed the water you could actually see individual sparks of yellow light streaking through the water. Noctiluca is one organism which can luminescence this way.

[daveyboy]

Cheers, yeah this was silvery-blue. So it reflects off the moon. That makes sense as both times i've seen it were full moons. Some weird and wonderfull stuff out there!

[basshunter10]

I've seen this in Louth too John, when I see it, I know I'm not going to be busy. Don't know why that is, I just see it and think it's going to be a long night. Does it reduce the oxygen in the water?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[corbyeire]

interesting point about the fishing being bad. saw the yellow phosphoresence when down in cork and the fishing was pants also!

[Deise boy]

As it's micro organisms fluttering light from them selves it seems to put the fish off a little as there seeing lights from them in instead of your lure first

Bet your hearing splashes out in the water as your seeing theses lights.

The fish try slam into them.

Like a cat / dog chasing a laser light