orb

An orb is a roughly spherical or ball-shaped object. In common usage it describes any solid or hollow object whose form resembles a sphere. In mathematics, the precise term for the surface is a sphere, and the solid region it bounds is called a ball; the word "orb" is a more general, nontechnical label that can refer to either. An orb has a center and a radius, and every point at distance r from the center lies on the surface.

Natural and man-made examples of orbs include planets, soap bubbles, droplets, marbles, glass orbs, and other round objects. In heraldry and art the term sometimes denotes a round decorative fixture or an emblem of the world. The word is also used historically for the Earth or celestial bodies in a broad sense, reflecting the roundness of objects in the sky and sea.

In contemporary photography and film, "orb" can describe bright, circular artifacts that appear in images, often caused by dust, moisture, or lens effects rather than paranormal phenomena. In paranormal and folkloric contexts, orbs are claimed as manifestations of spirits or supernatural beings; such interpretations are not supported by mainstream science, which attributes most observed orbs to ordinary optical and environmental factors.