Red ‘sprite’ in house: Nasa astronaut shares elusive atmospheric phenomena; aids TLE research

Sprite captured by Nichole Ayers (Image credit: X @Astro_Ayers)

While orbiting excessive above North America, NASA astronaut Nichole Ayers captured a uncommon sight- glowing crimson lights shimmering in Earth’s higher environment. The phenomenon, often known as a Transient Luminous Event (TLE) or “sprite,” appeared as a short burst of crimson gentle above thunderstorms over Mexico and the United States.The uncommon phenomenon, often known as a Transient Luminous Event (TLE), known as a sprite- a short flash of crimson gentle that happens excessive above highly effective thunderstorms. These huge bursts {of electrical} vitality can attain as much as 100 kilometers above Earth’s floor and include “cold plasma,” extra just like the glow inside a fluorescent gentle tube than typical lightning.

Due to their excessive altitude and quick length, sprites are hardly ever seen from the bottom, making Ayers’ space-based seize particularly important.Sharing the picture on X, Ayers stated, “Just. Wow. As we went over Mexico and the U.S. this morning, I caught this sprite.”“Sprites are TLEs or Transient Luminous Events, that happen above the clouds and are triggered by intense electrical activity in the thunderstorms below,” she defined.Sprites have lengthy fascinated scientists and pilots. These temporary, jellyfish-shaped flashes shoot upward into the environment and vanish in milliseconds. For practically a century, pilots reported seeing them, however many scientists dismissed them as myths or optical illusions. That modified in 1989 when the primary clear picture of a sprite was by chance captured on digital camera.According to Nasa, sprites happen when sturdy lightning discharges work together with Earth’s ionosphere. As the discharge travels upward and hits nitrogen molecules, it produces a reddish glow. Sprites belong to a bigger group of upper-atmosphere phenomena that features blue jets and crimson elves.Users had been each amazed and curious after seeing the publish. One wrote,“Sprite…. one of the rarest of rare celestial phenomenon.”Another requested, “How long do the sprites last? Is this a still shot taken from a video? What altitude did this one reach? The more we find out, it becomes obvious we know far less than we thought.”