Astronaut Matthew Dominick observed a mesmerizing display of colorful energy bursts, known as transient luminous events (TLE), from the International Space Station (ISS) on June 3. This spectacle occurred over thunderstorms off the coast of South Africa, as captured by NASA. TLEs typically manifest in the upper atmosphere during intense lightning storms below. One specific form of TLE, red sprites, were visible in this instance. Red sprites are luminous red-orange flashes that occur at altitudes of 50 to 90 kilometers (31 to 56 miles), resulting from nitrogen in the atmosphere interacting with electric charges, such as those present in lightning storms.
Studies suggest that red sprites are linked to gravity waves, minute ripples in the fabric of spacetime caused by cosmic events, although the relationship between the two is not yet fully understood. While red sprites can sometimes be seen from Earth’s surface under favorable conditions, they are more easily observed from high-altitude aircraft or low-Earth orbit platforms like the ISS due to their high altitude. These events last only for a brief moment, making it easier for astronauts to capture them on camera using long exposures.
Interestingly, sprites have also been observed on other planets, such as Jupiter. On Jupiter, the upper atmosphere is rich in hydrogen, causing the sprites to appear blue rather than red.
Scientists are still trying to understand the mechanisms behind the formation of sprites on Earth. To address this knowledge gap, NASA launched a citizen science project called Spritacular in 2022, inviting the public to contribute their images of sprites to an online database. This initiative aims to create the first comprehensive database of sprites and other TLEs for scientific research, as many captures of these events are shared sporadically online and are often overlooked by the scientific community.
