Astronaut Captures 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 Worldwide Area 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 Pictures of Earth web site by photographer Frankie Lucena, who specialises in capturing uncommon lightning occasions. The photographs had been subsequently highlighted by Spaceweather.com on February 26.

Jet Doubtless 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 possible originated from a thunderstorm close to New Orleans. Resulting from dense cloud cowl within the picture, the exact location couldn’t be decided. 4 pictures of lightning had been recognized within the astronaut’s pictures 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 change into inverted. Not like typical lightning that strikes downward, these jets lengthen 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 on account of interactions with nitrogen within the higher atmosphere and final for lower than a second.

Unusual however Extraordinarily Highly effective

Reports point out that whereas gigantic jets had been first documented in 2001, scientists estimate that round 1,000 might happen yearly, although most go undetected. Probably the most highly effective recorded jet was noticed in Could 2018 over Oklahoma, carrying almost 60 occasions the power of a typical lightning strike. These occasions usually conclude with pink branching tendrils, just like lightning phenomena generally known as sprites, however categorised as separate occurrences.