Providence Hotel Ghost

[SharpEye]

Bit of an older video but still one that I’m puzzled by. A man records a light flicking off and on in his hotel room, before it eventually starts to swing continuously on its own without stopping. I thought it was string at first but it doesn’t appear to reflect off the light when it goes on and off. I also don’t see any cuts in the video. Is there another way for the light to move like that without stopping? What do you guys think?


Source: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=830fKjMIBYw

 

[Calter]

I'd reckon if you give that thing a push then it will swing for a decent amount of time. Given the way the dude operates the camera, it's very possible that there's someone else in the room that's just moving around to not be seen.

 

[SharpEye]

I'd reckon if you give that thing a push then it will swing for a decent amount of time. Given the way the dude operates the camera, it's very possible that there's someone else in the room that's just moving around to not be seen.

The only problem is that it doesn’t seem to be slowing down, which is what you would expect if someone was swinging it.

 

[Calter]

It depends on the friction the lamp has with the pivot, it would be easier to measure if the dude could stay still for a minute but it's hard to tell if it's slowing down or not. I can imagine a pendulum lasting around a minute without someone being able to tell the arc got smaller just by sight, especially if there's no constant frame of reference.

 

[JMartJr]

A man records a light flicking off and on in his hotel room, before it eventually starts to swing continuously on its own without stopping. I thought it was string at first but it doesn’t appear to reflect off the light when it goes on and off. I also don’t see any cuts in the video. Is there another way for the light to move like that without stopping? What do you guys think?

I think he walks up directly under the light, and, as he turns to walk away at 0:53, he reches up and gives it a little push to get it swinging.

it's very possible that there's someone else in the room that's just moving around to not be seen.

This is also possible.

The only problem is that it doesn’t seem to be slowing down,

I disagree, it seems to be swinging MUCH less at 2:00 than it was at 1:17

 

[Ann K]

It's a thing that's very easily faked, so that would be my first guess. Another person in the room with him only has to stay behind him when he pans the camera around, then can flick the light switch or set the light swinging.

 

[SharpEye]

I think he walks up directly under the light, and, as he turns to walk away at 0:53, he reches up and gives it a little push to get it swinging.



This is also possible.



I disagree, it seems to be swinging MUCH less at 2:00 than it was at 1:17

I don’t see it swinging less personally, though I guess the angle makes it hard to determine. Could the friction of the pendulum be decreasing as the light’s swinging?

 

[Mendel]

Reminder about pendulum physics:
The frequency of a pendulum is fixed, that's how grandfather clocks work.
As the pendulum runs down, the amplitude gets less, i.e. each swing still takes the same time, but is less wide than before.

 

[SharpEye]

Reminder about pendulum physics:
The frequency of a pendulum is fixed, that's how grandfather clocks work.
As the pendulum runs down, the amplitude gets less, i.e. each swing still takes the same time, but is less wide than before.

Thank you! I guess I’m not seeing the swinging get narrower throughout the video, though the changing angle makes it hard to tell. What do you guys see?