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

10. Sprite Beads: Glowing Pearls in the Sky

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Often seen along the tendrils of bigger sprite constructions, Sprite beads are tiny, brilliant red dots. Seen at high resolution, these bright spheres—usually spanning a few hundred meters to a kilometre in diameter—give sprites a unique "beaded" look. Scientists think that within the sprite structure, sprite beads develop in areas with higher electric field intensity. Brighter emission created by these localised zones of strong ionisation produces bead-like forms. Often seen for many milliseconds following the remainder of the sprite has faded, Sprite beads can last somewhat longer than the main sprite discharge. Understanding sprite beads helps one to grasp the fine-scale dynamics and structure of sprite discharges. Their distribution and intensity can provide hints regarding the fluctuations in electric field strength and electron density inside the sprite, therefore guiding researchers in greater knowledge of the intricate mechanisms underlying these upper atmospheric electrical events.