Ball lightning on a church spire. This artwork dates from 1850. The phenomenon seen here was referred to in the accompanying caption as a 'splendid meteor' (possibly a small meteor shower). However, the term 'meteor' may be being used in its older sense of any phenomenon in the atmosphere. If so, this is more likely to be a form of electrical discharge, such as ball lightning or St Elmo's fire, forming around the metal cross on top of the church spire. Both these phenomena are electrical discharges that form the glowing sparks and luminous sphere seen here. This church is located in Painswick, Gloucestershire, England.