This article was taken from the April 2012 issue of Wired magazine. Be the first to read Wired's articles in print before they're posted online, and get your hands on loads of additional content by subscribing online.
Vladimir Rakov, director of the University of Florida's International Center for Lightning Research and Testing, shows how to wield the power of Zeus -- but don't blame us if you end up meeting him.
Find a safe place You can't play with lightning in your front garden. "The source of energy is a thundercloud, not a man-made apparatus," says Rakov. You'll need a controlled airspace, such as a military base, so an aeroplane or helicopter doesn't accidentally fly overhead, and plenty of room -- you don't want to be near the strike.
Pick your storm
In a very active storm, there's so much natural lightning that it's hard to get a spark in edgeways. Wait for a moderate storm, and more importantly wait until it starts fading. "The dissipating stage of a storm is the best time," advises Rakov, "because there's not much natural lightning about."
Ready your kit
To trigger lightning, you need a metre-long rocket, a spool of copper wire 700m long and an electric field meter to measure atmospheric electricity at ground level. One end of the wire, acting as a fuse, is attached to the rocket's tail, while the other end remains grounded at the launch pad.
Time it right
When the electric field exceeds 5,000-10,000 volts per metre, the thundercloud overhead is ripe for triggering. Launch the rocket at the charged thundercloud -- the lightning will travel along the copper wire. The probability of success is between 50 and 75 per cent. "The rest is down to pure good luck," says Rakov.
This article was originally published by WIRED UK
