The Tulip Staircase Ghost

Fourth in a Series of Famous Paranormal Photographs.

















This 1966 photograph was snapped by retired clergyman Ralph Hardy in the Queen's House section of the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, England. When taking the photograph of the property's elegantly spiraled "Tulip Staircase," Hardy also inadvertently captured a shrouded figure appearing to be climbing the stairs, holding the railing with both hands. Experts, including some from Kodak, have examined the original negative and concluded there had been no tampering. Unexplained figures and phantom footsteps have always been reported in the vicinity of this staircase.

This 400-year-old Queen's House has hosted many paranormal occurrences: the choral chanting of children, slamming doors, and the pinching of tourists by unseen fingers. Other apparition sightings have included the figure of a woman frantically mopping blood at the bottom of the Staircase -- reportedly from an incident 300 years ago when a maid was thrown from the highest banister, plunging 50 feet to her death.

Tools of a Ghost Hunter

Ghost hunting has far advanced from the old days of teenagers clambering through the rotted remnants of a decrepit, abandoned homestead in search of the scary. Ghost hunting has instead evolved to become a viable trade and even a newly recognized science. Even though the following list is not a comprehensive one, it does encompass some of the most commonly used equipment today's ghost hunters use.


GHOST METER / EMF METER, $25 -
EMF Detectors pick up electronic fields at a variety of frequencies. Typically where there are ghosts, there are disruptions in the electronic magnetic field, alerting hunters to the possible presence of a spirit.


MOTION DETECTOR, ($18.00 - $150.00+)
The discrepancy in price depends on the possible add-ons. A passive motion detector is cheapest and designed for a vacant room setting only. More expensive models can include a combination of digital camera, infrared (IR) lighting and pyroelectric ("passive") infrared (PIR) sensor. The latter takes infrared digital photos of anything that trips the motion sensor. Motion sensors can also catch moving objects pushed by an unseen force.


AIR ION COUNTER, Approximately $369
These useful instruments measure the natural balance of positive and negative ions in the air. A ghostly presence creates higher amounts of positive ions as spirits give off higher amounts of electromagnetic discharges.


INFRARED THERMAL SCANNER: $2000+
Scanners allow us to see changes in temperature even across a room or outside area. Although expensive, these thermal scanners are the most sought after pieces of ghost hunting equipment. They add great credibility to any investigation and allow ghost hunters to actually "see" heat images.


WIND CHIMES: $5:00 - 10.00
Wind chimes are an inexpensive and thrilling way to experience paranormal phenomena as many spirits will tinkle the chimes when present. It's advisable to go light-weight and paint the chimes with glow-in-the-dark paint for added thrill.


DOWSING RODS, Around $10.00
Dowsing rods work for most people and can be used to indicate the presence and directional force of paranormal energy as well as communicating (i.e., "dialoging") with spirits.





BAROMETERS, $15.00 and up
Ghosts may cause a localized drop in atmospheric pressure.


THERMOMETERS, $18.00 - 80.00
A good, digital thermometer detects changes in air temperature -- a good tool as cooler temperatures (i.e., cold spots) develop when a ghostly spectre is present.


NIGHT VISION EQUIPMENT, $31.00 - 200.00
Night vision scopes can be attached to cameras and video recorders so individuals can see and shoot photographs in near total darkness.


DIGITAL CAMERA
It’s all about the megapixles! The higher the resolution, the better zoom capability on your photos.


DIGITAL VIDEO RECORDER, $35 - 55.
Quality is important to obtain excellent sound quality. A static-free, external shotgun microphone allows a good DVR to also function as a digital audio recorder. An external mic is highly recommended as mics built into many handheld units are unable to capture the wider range of frequencies. The DVR USB port allows audio files to be downloaded directly to a computer for analysis.





DIGITAL IMAGE EDITING PROGRAM:
Programs such as Photoshop can adjust contrast, shadows, highlights or colors to find elements in a photograph previously unseen or noticed.


Ghost Hunters of Asheville is the only city's paranormal tour company that uses equipment (currently EMF meters and dowsing rods).


Resources:
Shadowlands Ghost Hunter Store
The Ghost Stop
www.ghost-hunter-equipment.com

Busted! (But Not by the Ghosts!)

On our Ghost Hunters of Asheville tours, I'm asked frequently what I consider to be the scariest place in Asheville. For me, it's the tuberculosis wing of the old Veterans Hospital. The spirits are reportedly very disturbed and have been known to literally scratch, push and scream in the faces of the paranormally sensitive. I've never been there myself, and based on the following report of what can happen to trespassing ghost hunters, I won't be adventuring there any time soon!
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At 10:15pm on 4/12/2010
Monday, April 12 2010, 10:16 PM EDT
Ghost Hunting Arrests
by Holly Headrick

A group of teenagers go ghost hunting Saturday night and get a scare they hadn't planned on. Veterans Affairs police say they arrested eight people for trespassing at the VA Hospital in Asheville. 18-year-old Brooklyn Robinson was one of them. The Enka High School senior tells News 13, "We heard it from one of our friends it was haunted. That's why we went is because they've been in it and said it was haunted." Robinson says she never expected to spend two nights in the Buncombe County Jail. The VA is federal property which means they had to wait in the jail until Monday to see a federal magistrate judge.

Her mother Libby Perry said it was, "something I wouldn't wish on anybody, any parent have to lay in bed for two nights and have to worry about your child." A poor decision she says the whole family's learned from.

VA officers say they heavily patrol the area because of numerous break-ins. They say it's more of a safety issue because the building is full of asbestos, lead paint and has water damage making the floors unsafe.