Joplin Lights; Worth the trip?

[krelnius]

Ok, I live in Missouri in the US and there is a town in Missouri thats somewhat famous for "floating lights" for which I have never really heard a good explanation. So, my question is for you guys to put your heads together and convince me that their nothing special so I don't waist a tank of gas to go check them out next month.

I won't provice any resources cause you guys are resourceful enough. But I will make some suggestions on what not to say. Please don't tell me its swamp gas being illuminated by light reflected from Saturn. Please don't tell me its the lonely headless ghost of "Old Man Henry" looking for his lost noggin'. Last but not least, please please don't tell me that Chris Angel lives in Joplin Missouri and its part of his Mindfreak act.

With that out of the way, let the answers begin!

 

[Ladewig]

Never heard of them so I googled and bit and found that http://www.astronomycafe.net/weird/lights/hornet.htm seems to have the most comprehensive description of the event, which is also known as Joplin spookylights or Hornet lights.

 

[fishbob]

Sounds just like the Marfa Lights.

http://skepdic.com/marfa.html

Skeptics who view the lights with strong binoculars claim that they are nothing more than the headlights and taillights of cars in the Chinati Mountains on U.S. highway 67.

Closer examination and not drinking pretty much solved that one, too.

 

[Starthinker]

I think trips like that are worthwhile for no other reason that it could be fun, you could see something "different", and it could make you a better skeptic (or a better woo, depending on your disposition). Learning how a phenomenon works and seeing it action goes a long way when explaining it to others. Plus, you might see why others think it's so remarkable which can give you insight into the mind of believers of paranormal events or supernatural occurances.

 

[cgordon]

Hornet, Okla. Haven't been there in years, but spent a good while in and around Joplin during the late 70s, early 80s.

The Spook Lights were huge then (not physically, but as a tourist attraction. There was even a little tavern/general store/tourist kitsch shop called Spooky Joe's.

I never saw the lights myself (not without the aid of copious amounts of alcohol, anyway), but many are the folks who swear they've seen 'em, been chased by 'em, had 'em float through their cars, etc. There's a whole range of mythology built up about the lights, with tales ranging from beheaded Civil War soldiers to Native American cemetaries to UFOs.

Every now and then, some college or other would allegedly send out 'experts' who'd be baffled and amazed and all sort of reports would appear periodically in the local newsrags.

What WAS out there? Basically, it was a huge makeout place, drinking place, meetup place. All kinds of recreational (legal and illegal) activities were indulged in thereaouts. And it had been that way for years.

It was a place to take the girsl to, tell scary stories and try to get in their pants; a place to hang out with your buds and prove how manly you were by taking a walk through the woods (at which point, you'd leave the noob behind and go get a beer or three at Joe's ...); it was a place to deal in moonshine (one upon a time) or to deal or score dope (more during my times).

It was sort of a party with the lights out ...

Last time I was in that area, geez, 8-10 years ago? The whole Spook Light locale was pretty much another subdivision. Couldn't really tell much about it.

Worth a visit today? Probably not. Doubt there'd be much to see. However, there used to be some fine hiking not far from there, that had nothing to do with spooks or lights. No clue what shape the area's in nowadays though.