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

11. Red Spiders: Creeping Tendrils of Crimson Light

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Within thunderclouds, red spiders—also known as spider lightning—are an uncommon and frightening kind of red lightning. Red spiders spread horizontally instead of the vertical orientation of most red lightning events, producing a network of spreading red tendrils that mimics the legs of a large, brilliant arachid. Intra-cloud lightning discharges moving along charged areas inside the cloud produce this phenomena. Like in other red lightning incidents, the red hue results from the interaction of the electrical discharge with nitrogen molecules in the air. But the lightning pursuing pathways of least resistance throughout the intricate structure of the thundercloud gives the spider-like look. Because red spiders exist inside the dense, opaque body of thunderclouds, they are especially difficult to see and study. Usually only seen from above by high-altitude aeroplanes or satellites or from the direction of later lightning strikes, they are Though secretive, red spiders offer important insights on the internal electrical structure of thunderstorms and the mechanisms behind lightning generation.