Orb sightings can be very exciting, especially if this is your first orb or if the photo is very unusual.

At least 95% of orbs are seen in photos, not in real life.  At right, that’s an unretouched photo of an orb.

Some believe that cameras – especially digital cameras – are better able to detect unusual energy, and represent it as a sphere or “ghost orb” in pictures.

Before you get too excited about the orb in your photo, let’s rule out the very normal and natural things that can cause orbs in photographs.

Natural explanations

Orb photos – especially when they’re taken with a flash camera – can result from the following issues.

• Dust in the air – Our tests have shown that it’s harder than you might think, to create orbs with dust.  However, since most skeptics leap on the dust explanation, consider whether or not dust might have been a factor.If you take several photos at the same time, a dust orb will usually show up in all of them. The orb will drift towards the floor or ground, due to gravity.
• Pollen – Look for a yellow dot of pollen in the center of your orb.  If your orb is already a yellow color, look for a more vivid or darker yellow dot in the center of the orb.
• Humidity – If it’s very humid, damp or foggy, study your orb photos carefully.  If you see more than five or six orbs, the explanation could be moisture. This is why I recommend taking at least two or three photos, one right after the other, without changing position.If humidity caused your orbs, there will be several orbs in all of your photos.  Unless it’s a windy night and fog is drifting in, the orbs won’t suddenly appear (or disappear) in just one photo.
• Rain  — Because rain will almost always cause orbs, those orbs may or may not be paranormal.  Until we understand how to analyze orbs better, we can’t tell if it’s a ghost orb when rain is also present.
• Insects — Perhaps the easiest of all to identify, insects can be a problem in warmer weather.  Enlarge your orb and see if you can spot a small figure — usually whitish — with wings.  (I’d love to say that your photo shows a little Tinkerbell-type faerie, but those are usually mosquitos.)

Orbs can also be caused by reflective surfaces, including the following items.

• Windows and all glass objects, including table tops and cabinet doors
• Shiny metal including beverage containers mostly hidden in the grass, as well as jewelry if the photographer’s hand is anywhere in front of the flash.
• Headlights on cars, parked or moving
• Polished gravestones
• Reflective street signs

When those kinds of problems are ruled out, we’re left to wonder what orbs are.

Many people feel that they represent ghostly energy.  We often notice elevated EMF levels or significant temperature changes in the area where orbs are sighted.

Whether you believe that orbs are spirits or not, when your digital camera screen shows you orbs, it’s a good time to check carefully for other evidence of ghosts and hauntings.

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Did I miss anything on this list of normal — not paranormal — explanations for orbs in photos and videos?  If so, add your best orb tips in the comments, below, or tell us about your favorite orb sightings.

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