Red Lightning: 15 Mysterious Phenomena - How Many Have You Seen?

The fascinating realm of red lightning will astounds you! Fifteen amazing forms of red electrical discharges that brilliantly illuminate the sky are investigated in this paper. From uncommon sprites to elusive jets, every phenomena provides a different window through nature's might. Discover the science underlying these vibrant displays and find out why both storm chasers and experts find them to still be fascinating. You have seen what number of these scarlet spectacles?

1. Red Sprites: Dancing Jellyfish in the Sky

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Often characterised as like enormous jellyfish hovering in the high atmosphere, red sprites are among the most mysterious kinds of red lightning. Usually at heights between 50 and 90 km, these transient flashes of crimson light happen well above thunderstorms. Red sprites soar upward from the top of thunderclouds towards the edge of space, unlike ordinary lightning, which runs from cloud to earth. Red sprites have first been seen on video in 1989 and have since attracted close scientific attention. With the naked eye, they are difficult to see since they happen in clusters and last barely a fraction of a second. Their unusual red hue results from the interaction of electrical discharges with nitrogen molecules in the rarefied air of the top atmosphere. Specialised high-speed cameras are used by storm chasers and atmospheric researchers to record these elusive events. Although red sprites are now somewhat common, happening thousands of times daily worldwide, most people hardly ever see them because of their short lifetime and high altitude. Have you ever had the good fortune to see these ethereal crimson dancers in the nighttime heavens?