An astronaut aboard the International Space Station (ISS) has captured a giant sprite above a thunderstorm — a mysterious light phenomenon that occurs high in the atmosphere, about 80 kilometers above Earth.
Sprites are brief flashes of light triggered by intense lightning strikes. They often appear reddish-purple and resemble wispy tendrils or jellyfish. Lasting only a split second, they’re nearly impossible to spot from the ground.
This rare image, taken by U.S. astronaut Nichole “Vapor” Ayers while orbiting over Mexico and the southern U.S., offers valuable data for NASA to study the link between sprites and thunderstorms.
NASA is currently running the “Spritacular” project, inviting the public to submit sprite photos to aid research and help unravel the secrets behind these atmospheric wonders.
Source: https://www.space.com
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