Sometimes, Mother Nature’s beauty can appear a bit ominous. Photos of red sprites, or Transient Luminous Events, above France look like something out of a horror or science fiction film. But not to worry—they aren’t paranormal. In fact, the sprites are a weather phenomenon that causes an incredible light show in the sky.
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The Instagram account @wildestofficial shared some incredible photos of the red sprites along with a bit of an explanation.
“Almost like a scene from Stranger Things, the French skies have provided one of the most incredible spectacles in the natural world. These images show Red Sprites, also known as “upper-atmospheric lightning,” which are a rare and stunning natural phenomenon. These glowing, crimson-colored flashes occur high above thunderstorms, in the mesosphere, typically at altitudes of 50–90 kilometers (31–56 miles). Unlike conventional lightning, red sprites are triggered by strong electric fields following a lightning strike below. They appear as brief, ethereal bursts resembling jellyfish or columns of light, lasting only a few milliseconds,” the post explains.
Not Much Is Know About Red Sprites
According to the post, “First documented in 1989, red sprites are notoriously difficult to capture, making these images truly extraordinary. Scientists continue to study them to better understand the complex electrical dynamics of our atmosphere.”
Weather enthusiasts loved the photos.
This person can’t imagine what older generations would have thought of red sprites. “Could you imagine seeing this in the 1600s?”
They would make this person have an awakening. “Bruh, that would make me believe in God if I saw that.”
This person is understandably skeptical, “It’s like the green flash. You can show me however many pictures you want. It’s just hard to say I believe it until I can see it myself. I’ll keep trying.”
“I have never seen this or heard of it before. It is beautiful,” someone else remarked.
This story’s featured image can be found here.
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