St. Elmo’s fire

• St. Elmo’s fire is an electrical discharge created around a ship or an aircraft. It is named after the Patron Saint of Sailors, St. Erasmus of Formia, abbreviated to St. Elmo.
• The electrical discharge becomes visible as a blue light when thunderstorms are nearby and electricity is induced to discharge itself from sharp points, such as the masts and spars on a vessel.

The Ancient World

• The Ancient Greek and Roman sailors reported seeing the lights, and optimistically believed they were a visitation from the twin Gods, Castor and Pollux, who were thought to be the saviours of those in danger.