FYI, you don't want to know what it is like to see a plasma ball that isn't inside a glass sphere, like the type you would see if excessive current passed through a small metal object , vaporizing some of the metal. This is actually referred to an 'arc flash" and is very dangerous and can result in third degree burns or even death. It is usually associated with electrical accidents but sometimes the result of electrical malfunctions in high voltage equipment. The light from an arc flash is so bright that if you are looking right at it the damage to your eye could be permanent.
I forgot the exact numbers but it was something ridiculous like 10,000 lumens or 1000 times brighter than the sun.