Dazzling ‘Jellyfish sprite’ snapped in awesome night sky PHOTOS
One of nature’s most elusive but stunningly colorful light displays has been captured in all its glory, high in the atmosphere above Oklahoma. The lightning-like electrical discharge is known as a jellyfish or column sprite.
The jellyfish sprites were photographed by Paul Smith in Anadarko, west of Oklahoma City, and about 100 miles (about 160km) southeast of a big storm last week.
Even the full moon couldn't drown out some of the vibrant sprite lightning over Northern Oklahoma last night. This is from Anadarko Ok, looking up towards Woodward Ok 4/17/2019. @MichaelSeger@emilyrsutton#okwx@CaliaDomenico@breakingweather@ReedTimmerAccu@apodpic.twitter.com/MKOMVy4rMX
— Paul Smith (@PaulSmi45427335) April 18, 2019
Sprites are electrical discharges that can be triggered by a strong bolt of lightning near the ground. They are believed to be a balancing mechanism that the atmosphere uses to dispense charges.
They occur above storms, high in the mesosphere, which is higher over Earth than where shooting stars and meteors burn.
Multiple column sprites line up above an angel sprite in my last sprite lightning capture from the night of 4/17/2019 . An uncropped image on the 50mm about 20 minutes before being clouded over. Anadarko, Oklahoma. #okwx#APOD@JimCantore@emilyrsutton@MichaelSegerpic.twitter.com/gXNlPMKucZ
— Paul Smith (@PaulSmi45427335) April 21, 2019
Sprites come in jellyfish and column shapes, and the jellyfish ones can be a massive 30 miles (48km) wide, making them far larger than lightning. However, they only last less than a tenth of a second.
The strange phenomenon was a mystery until 1989. Pilots had reported seeing the strange pink lights, but it wasn’t until one was accidentally photographed that scientists were able to confirm their existence.
Last night ( 4/21/2019) I saw my first ever sprite by eye , and this was it. I traveled to shoot over storms in central Kansas with small expectations. It turned into one of the biggest sprite storms I have ever witnessed with 3 naked eye sightings. #okwx@breakingweatherpic.twitter.com/uFkbanAPnL
— Paul Smith (@PaulSmi45427335) April 23, 2019
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