Thunderstorms are known for their thunder and lightning, and can also be associated with winds and damaging hail. However, there is an additional feature that occasionally appears at the top of thunderstorms. Although harmless, it catches the attention of meteorologists and photographers alike, taking the shape of jellyfish, carrots, or even columns.
This kind of lightning is known as a red sprite, and it’s generated during some thunderstorms.
The National Severe Storms Laboratory describes red sprites as electric discharges that occur in the upper atmosphere. These bursts of energy can be 30 miles across, appearing for just a moment above mature thunderstorms.
Red sprites are part of the electrical phenomena group called Transient Luminous Events (TLE). This also includes blue jets and elves. For more information, see this lightning primer from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association.
Not much is known about red sprites, but they have been noted to occur under specific conditions. When a strong positive lightning strike occurs near the ground, a red sprite is generated 30 miles above the surface, dissipating within a tenth of a second. There is speculation that red sprites act to balance out the electricity from such a strike, but how strong this lightning bolt needs to be has yet to be determined.
Due to their rarity, some photographers make it their dream to capture a red sprite. Luckily for them, there is a distinct method for capturing this kind of phenomenon.
According to EarthSky, “you need a dark sky and a clear view toward a distant thunderstorm. The sky needs to be dark, because you’ll be taking long exposures; too much stray light in your sky will wash out your photo and make capturing sprites impossible.” Some of the best places to go to find clear, dark skies can be found here.
Although very uncommon, a red sprite is still something that exists above intense thunderstorms.