All phenomena
Brief, often reddish flashes high above thunderstorms, sometimes shaped like columns or jellyfish.
16-Bit Take (analogy): A fleeting red sprite above the storm layer of the screen.
The science
A lightning discharge changes the electric field above a storm and can excite gases in the thin upper atmosphere, producing light.
How to spot it
They are fleeting and difficult to see. Research photographs and low-light video reveal their structure.
Where
High above thunderstorms in many parts of the world.
Best season
Associated with thunderstorms; dark skies help observation.
- ▸Sprites are transient luminous events in the upper atmosphere.
- ▸They are triggered by lightning below, not bolts travelling into outer space.
- ▸The first camera recording in 1989 helped open this field of study.
Rarity and hazard ratings are informal editorial guides, not measured occurrence rates or official warnings. Local conditions determine actual risk.
Related guides
- Ball Lightning
Reports of luminous, ball-like objects near thunderstorms remain difficult to explain and study.
- CUMULONIMBUS
Massive storm tower reaching max altitude limit
- Thundersnow
Lightning and thunder occurring while snow is falling.