Latest news with #TLEs
Yahoo
06-07-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
ISS astronaut captures a rare phenomenon from orbit — a giant 'sprite' above a thunderstorm
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. U.S. astronaut Nichole "Vapor" Ayers captured a spectacular view of a phenomenon known as a "sprite" blazing to life above an intense thunderstorm — and she did this while orbiting 250 miles (400 kilometers) above Earth aboard the International Space Station (ISS). "Sprites are TLEs or Transient Luminous Events, that happen above the clouds and are triggered by intense electrical activity in the thunderstorms below," wrote Ayers in an X post showcasing the image. "We have a great view above the clouds, so scientists can use these types of pictures to better understand the formation, characteristics, and relationship of TLEs to thunderstorms." Vivid, multicolored sprites are among the least understood and visually striking electrical phenomena known to manifest in Earth's upper atmosphere during intense thunderstorm events. They typically occur roughly 50 miles (80 km) above the planet's surface in the wake of powerful lightning strikes, taking on an array of otherworldly shapes composed of complex, tendril-like features and plumes of red light, according to NASA. Even so, the gigantic sprite Ayers managed to witness is a particularly impressive specimen, seen rising high above lightning-lit clouds and treading into Earth's upper atmosphere above Mexico and the U.S. All the while, the sprite appears to glow brightly alongside artificial light emanating from the cities below. Over the past few years, NASA has been working on the "Spritacular" citizen science project, which asks members of the public to contribute images of TLE sightings in an attempt to provide the scientific community with data that can be used to decode the phenomenon. These efforts are now being bolstered by orbital footage of the spectacular events, including by multiple astronauts aboard the ISS, who — like Ayers — have embraced photography as a creative outlet during their time on the station. Many questions certainly persist surrounding the nature of sprites, how and why they form and how they interact with the surrounding atmosphere — but maybe they'll have some answers soon. Editor's Note: If you capture an image of a sprite or TLE and want to share it with readers, then please send your photo(s), comments, and your name and location to spacephotos@
Yahoo
06-07-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Astronaut Captures Rare Jellyfish-Like Phenomenon Above Thunderstorm Clouds: ‘Wow ... I Caught This Sprite'
NASA astronaut Nichole Ayers, 36, captured a transient luminous event above thunderstorm clouds on Thursday, July 3 'As we went over Mexico and the U.S. this morning, I caught this sprite,' the former collegiate volleyball player said Ayers is aboard the International Space Station as pilot of SpaceX Dragon's Crew-10, which arrived at the ISS in MarchA NASA astronaut is in awe of what she witnessed above the clouds. Nichole Ayers, who is aboard the International Space Station (ISS) as pilot of SpaceX Dragon's Crew-10, captured the moment when a rare electrical phenomenon occurred above thunderstorm clouds on Thursday, July 3. 'Just. Wow,' the 36-year-old astronaut wrote on Instagram alongside a photo of the red jellyfish-like electrical occurrence. 'As we went over Mexico and the U.S. this morning, I caught this sprite.' A sprite is 'an atmospheric phenomenon associated with lightning,' according to NASA's Earth Observatory. Providing more context, Ayers wrote, 'Sprites are TLEs or transient luminous events that happen above the clouds and are triggered by intense electrical activity in the thunderstorms below.' 'We have a great view above the clouds, so scientists can use these types of pictures to better understand the formation, characteristics, and relationship of TLEs to thunderstorms,' she concluded. This red sprite, like a previous one NASA captured in June 2024, has red tendrils associated with jellyfish sprites due to 'the positively charged lightning [interacting] with atmospheric nitrogen, creating an electrical breakdown that produces flashes of red light.' Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. In an exclusive interview with PEOPLE in May, Ayers talked about the beauty of being in space, where she gets to fly around the world every 90 minutes, with the chance to watch a sunset or a sunrise every 45 minutes. 'I think that 'excited' is an understatement,' Ayers, a former collegiate volleyball player, said at the time. 'I like to say the English language doesn't have the right words to describe how amazing the experience is. The launch was amazing. And then getting to come through the hatch of the International Space Station, just awesome, amazing, ecstatic.' 'It's been an amazing experience so far,' Ayers added. The NASA astronaut arrived at the ISS aboard the SpaceX Dragon capsule and the Falcon 9 rocket on March 14 as part of Crew-10. While in space, Ayers and other astronauts on the mission are conducting science experiments, participating in spacewalks and working out. They will return to Earth in the fall after their six-month mission. Read the original article on People
Yahoo
04-07-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Astronaut snaps giant red 'jellyfish' sprite over North America during upward-shooting lightning event
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. A NASA astronaut has captured an electrifying image of Earth from space, featuring a gigantic, jellyfish-shaped "sprite" of red lightning shooting upwards above a thunderstorm in North America. The rare phenomenon is still poorly understood, despite being studied for more than 30 years. Nichole Ayers, the pilot of SpaceX's Crew-10 mission and member of International Space Station (ISS) expeditions 72 and 73, snapped the striking photo on Thursday (July 3) as the space station passed above a large thunderstorm hanging over parts of Mexico and the southern U.S., including California and Texas. "Just. Wow. As we went over Mexico and the U.S. this morning, I caught this sprite," Ayers wrote on the social platform X. "Sprites are TLEs or Transient Luminous Events, that happen above the clouds and are triggered by intense electrical activity in the thunderstorms below," she added. TLEs are a range of visual phenomena that occur in the upper atmosphere during thunderstorms, including upward-shooting blue jets and UFO-like rings of light, known as ELVES. However, the most common TLEs are sprites, like the one photographed by Ayers. Sprites are sometimes referred to as jellyfish because they contain multiple branches of light that spread out like tentacles, while others call them "carrots" because they can be accompanied by fainter tendrils that trail behind them in the opposite direction like plant roots. They are often associated with large thunderstorms, including those produced by hurricanes. Related: Electrifying time-lapse image captures 100 lightning bolts torching the sky Sprites can range in size and shape, with the largest reaching up to 50 miles (80 kilometers) above Earth's surface. They have a red color because they interact with nitrogen in the upper atmosphere, according to NASA's Earth Observatory. Sprites were first properly observed in the 1950s by airline passengers but were not photographed until 1989. The red jellyfish have also been spotted in the atmosphere of Jupiter, and they are thought to occur on Saturn and Venus, according to Live Science's sister site But despite years of research, researchers are still unsure why some lightning strikes cause sprites and others don't, according to FOX Weather. Sprites and other TLEs can be photographed from Earth's surface if the conditions are right. However, ISS astronauts are uniquely well-positioned to see TLEs and frequently see the flashes of lightning strikes at the same time, providing useful data to help researchers figure out how these phenomena work. RELATED STORIES —What happens if you get struck by lightning… and survive? —Why does lightning zigzag? —What's the longest lightning bolt ever recorded? "We have a great view above the clouds, so scientists can use these types of pictures to better understand the formation, characteristics, and relationship of TLEs to thunderstorms," Ayers wrote. One of the most recent examples of this was in March, when an unnamed ISS astronaut snapped faint red sprites glowing at the end of a "gigantic jet" of lightning shooting upward above New Orleans. Another excellent example was an eerie red jellyfish that seemed to float independently in Earth's atmosphere, high above a flash of lightning in June 2024, previously reported.
New York Post
04-07-2025
- Science
- New York Post
Astronaut photographs elusive luminous event from far above Earth
An astronaut aboard the International Space Station has shared a striking photo of what is known as a Transient Luminous Event seen above a thunderstorm over Mexico and the Desert Southwest earlier in the week. NASA astronaut Nichole 'Vapor' Ayers posted the image on social media and said, 'Just. Wow. As we went over Mexico and the US this morning, I caught this sprite.' Advertisement Sprites are a type of TLE, which create brilliant flashes of light high above powerful thunderstorms and are difficult to observe from the ground. There is some debate on whether what she captured is surely a sprite or what is known as a gigantic jet – both are part of the TLE phenomena. According to NOAA, sprites are often triggered by positive cloud-to-ground lightning strikes, which produce an electric field that extends miles above a thunderstorm into the upper atmosphere. The phenomenon appears mostly red in color, lasts only a fraction of a second and occurs so high up in the atmosphere that it is rarely visible to the human eye – unless, of course, you are orbiting some 250 miles above Earth's surface. Advertisement 4 NASA astronaut Nichole 'Vapor' Ayers captured a Sprite above Earth from the International Space Station. via REUTERS 4 Nichole Ayers aboard the International Space Station in 2025. ISS/NASA / SWNS 'Sprites are TLEs, or Transient Luminous Events, that happen above the clouds and are triggered by intense electrical activity in the thunderstorms below. We have a great view above the clouds, so scientists can use these types of pictures to better understand the formation, characteristics, and relationship of TLEs to thunderstorms,' Ayers explained on social media. Gigantic jets begin inside the anvil and reach through the cloud up to the ionosphere, which represents what Ayers might have witnessed. Advertisement Why some lightning bolts trigger sprites while others do not is still poorly understood by the scientific community. Other related phenomena include elves, blue jets and ghosts, all of which are known TLEs, and occur well above Earth's surface in the stratosphere, mesosphere and even the thermosphere. 4 The phenomenon appears mostly red in color, lasts only a fraction of a second and occurs so high up in the atmosphere that it is rarely visible to the human eye – unless, of course, you are orbiting some 250 miles above Earth's surface. via REUTERS 4 The International Space Station orbiting over Earth in November 2018. NASA / SWNS Advertisement Ayers is currently stationed aboard the ISS as part of NASA's SpaceX Crew-10 mission, which launched in March and is expected to remain in outer space through at least August. During the astronauts' time aboard the space observatory, the crew will conduct hundreds of scientific experiments, including testing the flammability of material and studies examining the physiological and psychological effects of space on the human body.
Digital Trends
04-07-2025
- Science
- Digital Trends
ISS astronaut shares astonishing shot of a storm-generated sprite
'Just. Wow.' So said NASA astronaut Nichole Ayers as she caught sight of a phenomenon known as a sprite from the International Space Station (ISS) 250 miles above Earth. Ayers shared an image on her X account showing the fleeting phenomenon. You can see the sprite — essentially a large-scale electrical discharge — in the center of the picture as a bluish-white flash on the clouds, with a thin, red, tree-like burst of light shooting upward into the dark sky. 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. We have a great view above the clouds, so… — Nichole 'Vapor' Ayers (@Astro_Ayers) July 3, 2025 'As we went over Mexico and the U.S. this morning, I caught this sprite,' the American astronaut, who arrived in orbit in March, wrote in a post on X. Recommended Videos As she explains, sprites are known as Transient Luminous Events (TLEs) that occur above clouds and are triggered by intense electrical activity in thunderstorms below. Seen from the ISS, the sprite likely lasted for less than a tenth of a second, suggesting that Ayers's image is a frame taken from a video that was monitoring the skies over Earth. 'We have a great view above the clouds, so scientists can use these types of pictures to better understand the formation, characteristics, and relationship of TLEs to thunderstorms,' Ayers wrote in her post. Unlike aurora, which are easily observed from the ground as well as space, it's much harder to observe a sprite from terra firma as it requires special conditions such as clear dark skies, distant large thunderstorms, and minimal light pollution. Visual reports of sprites were first recorded in 1886, but it wasn't until July 4, 1989 — exactly 36 years ago — that the first images were taken, by scientists at the University of Minnesota. For anyone wondering about their effect on aircraft, sprites actually take place way above commercial flight altitudes and therefore pose no direct danger to aircraft. While their electromagnetic pulses could theoretically affect an aircraft's electronics, no incidents have been reported.
