l 3 July 2025, Nichole Ayersastronaut of the mission Spacex crew-10 and member of shipments 72 and 73 of the International Space Station (ISS)immortalized a rare and spectacular atmospheric phenomenon: a Red sprites giant, similar to a bright jellyfishwhich rises above a storm between the Mexico and the southern United States.
What is a spritis: the bright jellyfish of the skies
The spritesalso known as Transient Luminous Events (TLE)are high altitude electric discharges that manifest themselves above the temporal clouds. They stand out for their spectacular forms: Red branches reminiscent of jellyfish, carrots or tentacles. Their color derives from the interaction with thenitrogen present in the Mesospherebetween 50 and 80 km of altitude.
The photo from the space: the glance of Nichole Ayers
From its privileged position aboard the ISS, Ayers was able to grasp in a single shot both the lightning of the lightning and the gigantic sprites that developed upwards. The images from space allow one clear and global vision of phenomena otherwise difficult to observe from the earth’s surface.
The tles: when the light escapes thunderstorms
In addition to the sprites, the tles also include i Blue Jetswhich develop as blue jets upwards, and the Helvesbright rings that expand as concentric waves. All these events occur during strong electrical activities In thunderstorms, such as those associated with hurricanes.
A phenomenon still wrapped in mystery
Despite the sprites have been the subject of study for over 30 years – and have been observed for the first time in the 1950s – science has not yet fully understood Because only some lightnings manage to generate these bright events.
I also sink on other planets?
According to recent observations, Similar phenomena were also detected on Jupiter, Saturn And, perhaps, Venus. This suggests that the tles are not exclusive to the earth, but part of an electric dynamics universal in the planets with atmosphere.
