Astronaut (*50*) Rare ‘Gigantic Jet’ Lightning Extending 50 Miles Above Earth

A uncommon ‘gigantic jet’ of lightning has been photographed from house, extending almost 50 miles above the U.S. shoreline. The picture was taken by an astronaut aboard the International Space Station (ISS) on November 19, 2024, however was not instantly shared by house businesses. The phenomenon was later found on NASA’s Gateway to Astronaut Photography of Earth web site by photographer Frankie Lucena, who specialises in capturing uncommon lightning occasions. The pictures have been subsequently highlighted by Spaceweather.com on February 26.

Jet Likely Originated Over Louisiana

According to Spaceweather.com, the ISS was positioned over the Gulf of Mexico on the time of the seize, suggesting that the lightning jet probably originated from a thunderstorm close to New Orleans. Due to dense cloud cowl within the picture, the exact location couldn’t be decided. Four pictures of lightning have been recognized within the astronaut’s images sequence, however just one captured the distinct upward-shooting jet.

Understanding Gigantic Jets

Gigantic jets are highly effective electrical discharges that journey upward from thunderstorms when cost layers throughout the clouds turn out to be inverted. Unlike typical lightning that strikes downward, these jets prolong into the ionosphere, the atmospheric layer starting round 50 miles above the Earth’s floor. As per Spaceweather.com, these jets emit a blue glow attributable to interactions with nitrogen within the higher environment and final for lower than a second.

Uncommon however Extremely Powerful

Reports point out that whereas gigantic jets have been first documented in 2001, scientists estimate that round 1,000 may happen yearly, although most go undetected. The strongest recorded jet was noticed in May 2018 over Oklahoma, carrying almost 60 occasions the vitality of a typical lightning strike. These occasions usually conclude with crimson branching tendrils, just like lightning phenomena generally known as sprites, however categorized as separate occurrences.