NASA astronaut Nichole “Vapor” Ayers has shared a stunning photo of a Transient Luminous Event (TLE) above a thunderstorm over Mexico, sparking debate about whether it’s a sprite or a gigantic jet. The image was captured while Ayers was orbiting 250 miles above Earth on the International Space Station.
Sprites are a type of TLE that appear high above powerful thunderstorms and create brilliant flashes of light. They’re triggered by positive cloud-to-ground lightning strikes, which produce an electric field that extends into the upper atmosphere. The phenomenon is rare to observe from the ground due to its high altitude, but astronauts like Ayers can capture it with their trained eyes.
Ayers explained on social media that sprites are TLEs that happen above clouds and are linked to intense electrical activity in thunderstorms. Scientists use these photos to better understand the formation and characteristics of TLEs.
The mysterious phenomenon of TLEs includes other types such as elves, blue jets, and ghosts, all of which occur well above Earth’s surface. The exact reason why some lightning bolts trigger sprites while others don’t remains a topic of ongoing research.
Ayers is currently on board the ISS for NASA’s SpaceX Crew-10 mission, where they’ll conduct hundreds of scientific experiments, including studying space’s effects on human physiology and psychology.
Source: https://www.foxweather.com/earth-space/sprite-lightning-photo-outer-space-iss