NASA’s astronaut, Nichole “Vapor” Ayers, has photographed a spectacular atmospheric event – a large red ‘jellyfish’ sprite soaring above a thunderstorm in North America. The striking image, taken from the International Space Station (ISS) on July 3, 2025, gives scientists a rare view of sprites from the top which is a form of lightning and have been a mystery for decades. Sprites are part of a family of fleeting atmospheric glows called Transient Luminous Events (TLEs) and form as a result of powerful thunderstorms. They are situated high above the clouds, which makes them difficult to observe. The insights that her photo provides could help in determining the dazzling red bursts’ origins and their impact on the upper atmosphere.

A Cosmic Jellyfish in the Sky: What Are Sprites?

Image by NASA/ISS/Nichole Ayers via livescience

Sprites are ghostly flashes of red light that happen in the mesosphere, which is 30 to 50 miles (50–80 km) above the Earth’s surface. This is much higher than normal lightning. Sprites don’t look like normal bolts that shoot down; instead, they shoot up in branching tendrils that look like jellyfish or carrots. The red color comes from nitrogen molecules that are charged up in the upper atmosphere. This is similar to how auroras glow, but thunderstorms below cause it.

Sprites were first seen by pilots in the 1950s, but they weren’t photographed until 1989. They are still a mystery. Scientists still don’t know why only some very strong lightning strikes make them. Some ideas say that they are connected to positively charged lightning that goes from clouds to the ground, but how they actually form is still a mystery.

The Perfect Vantage Point: Why the ISS Is Key to Studying Sprites

Image by NASA, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

From Earth’s surface, it is extraordinarily difficult to capture sprites because they often get obscured by clouds and disappear within seconds. However, the International Space Station (ISS) that is 250 miles (400km) above the planet’s surface, has a clear view of where sprites appear. Astronauts such as Ayers utilize wide-angle lenses to capture these events, particularly during timelapse sequences which increase the chances of capturing one.

“We have a great view above the clouds, so scientists can use these types of pictures to better understand the formation, characteristics, and relationship of TLEs to thunderstorms,” wrote Ayers on social media after her finding. Australia Space Weather Agency and similar facilities do monitor sprites from the ground and conduct detailed examinations using high-speed cameras and X-ray detectors, collecting data that ground-based observers cannot obtain.

Sprites Beyond Earth: A Solar System Phenomenon?

Image by NASA/Expedition 31, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Our planet is not the only one where these strange lights appear. We have observed red sprites in Jupiter’s atmosphere, and they are believed to exist in Saturn and Venus as well. Researchers studying sprites in Earth’s atmosphere can model the behavior of atmospheric electricity in other less hospitable alien environments, where storms are far more brutal than the ones we are used to .

In 2024, sprite-like flashes were captured by NASA’s Juno spacecraft above Jupiter’s storms. This is evidence that the physics behind them may be universal. If that is the case, research conducted on the Earth sprites can help understanding the weather of gas giants.

The Citizen Science Hunt for Sprites

Projects like Spritacular, which captures TLEs from civilians, serve as NASA’s platform for the public’s direct involvement with scientific work. This is particularly the case for the scientific community to analyze why sprites tend to emerge during major tempests like storms and hurricanes.

As one report noted, “ISS photos like Ayers’ offer a killer top-down view” reinforces how astronaut photos serve an important multidisciplinary scientific purpose of providing answers to questions that might be stemming from their pre-existing knowledge.

Could Sprites Affect Technology?

Image by Image Science and Analysis Laboratory, NASA-Johnson Space Center. “The Gateway to Astronaut Photography of Earth.”, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Sprites don’t directly threaten planes, but their electromagnetic pulses could mess up technology that works at high altitudes. Some scientists think that their energy might affect satellite communications or even the ionosphere, but so far there haven’t been any major problems.

The fact that they are linked to strong thunderstorms is a bigger worry because they can mess up power grids and radio signals. Researchers may be able to improve storm prediction models by studying sprites. This could help reduce damage from severe weather.

What’s Next in Sprite Research?

Ayers’ picture adds to a growing collection of sprite pictures that could help explain why some lightning makes them appear and others don’t. Future missions, such as Europe’s ASIM follow-up projects, will use even better sensors to keep an eye on these events. In the meantime, the ISS is still the best place for people to see these cosmic fireworks in action.

Scientists think that as solar activity reaches its peak in the next few years, geomagnetic storms and auroras will happen more often, and sprites will be seen more often from space and from the ground. Ayers’ electrifying snapshot is a reminder of how much we still have to learn about the most mysterious lightning on Earth.

Final Thought

When the next thunderstorm comes, look up. You might see a red jellyfish sprite flashing in the sky. It’s a brief reminder of the electric ballet that is going on high above our heads.

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