Unclassified

The Spectre on Ben Nevis That Led to the Cloud Chamber

Ben Nevis summit observatory, Lochaber

September 1894

During this period he witnessed a Brocken spectre and glory, caused by the sun casting a shadow on a cloud below the observer. He later tried to reproduce these phenomena in the laboratory, which led to his invention of the cloud chamber, used to detect ionising radiation.

The Brocken spectre is a known optical effect, not a ghost. It is included because such giant shadow figures have long been taken for apparitions on mountains. Older folklore of Ben Nevis was not found for this batch.

The summit and ruined observatory are reached by the Mountain Track from Glen Nevis; it is a serious mountain in any weather.
Evidence
Contemporary written record
Access
Open ground
Location
56.797, -5.003 (Sited to the building or field)

Sources: Wikipedia, Ben Nevis [other]

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