Red sprites and blue jets Photographed over Hawaii

Red sprites and blue jets are associated with lightning bolts and since their discovery during a Shuttle mission have fascinated the curious ever since , as one of the curious I share this magical picture.
Released a couple of days ago this picture from the international Gemini Observatory shows a lightning storm raging in the distance and Red sprites and blue jets as seen by a camera at the Observatory of the sprites doing their thing.

Gemini North sits at an altitude of around 4200 meters (13,800 feet). Not only does this altitude facilitate world-class astronomical observations, but Gemini North’s nighttime Cloud Cams were able to capture the extraordinary light phenomena seen on the right side of the image.

The column of blue and red lights surrounded by a bright blaze of white light appears so otherworldly that it looks like it must be a special effect. This breathtaking image, however, is entirely real. It features two lightning phenomena: a red sprite and a blue jet.

Red sprites and blue jets are distinctive because of their colors, and also the direction in which they strike. As you can see in this image, the red and blue lights are shooting up from the top of the cloud deck, and are striking out towards space, instead of down towards the Earth. It is extremely rare to capture these phenomena on camera and even more so from this unique perspective.
noirlab.edu...

Marvelous !

a reply to: gortex

Stunning picture! It almost reminds me of a cobra.

originally posted by: Encia22
a reply to: gortex

Stunning picture! It almost reminds me of a cobra.

It does look like a cobra! Ive seen pics of those big red sprites. Some of them look just like jellyfish. Freaky!!!
Cool stuff, gortex. Thanks for posting.

Just putting in the ATS address for the full page shot...fantastic!


files.abovetopsecret.com...


P.S. Did you notice how one red sprite seems almost a mirror image of the other?

a reply to: smurfy

Cheers mate , much better.

Incredible, thanks for the photo guys!

a reply to: gortex

Wow, great pic!

a reply to: gortex



Spectacularly beautiful!

a reply to: gortex

amazing.

Looking at that reminds me of this documentary.

Supposedly the rock art of the ancients were depicting plasma and electrical activity that was bombarding our earth at the time.

At 21:30 they talk about some of the pictographs and petroglyphs around the world.

Wow. Beautiful.

Fantastic!

a reply to: gortex


S&F👍👏👏👏
13,800 ft, bring oxygen and a thick coat. I guess being so high helps, wonder how long they set the exposure for. I've never seen a picture of a Sprite taken from the ground. Amazing

Best I can do.


Took at least 40+ pics on the above setting and made a long gif out of it. Unfortunately it wont fit on ATS.

a reply to: smurfy

P.S. Did you notice how one red sprite seems almost a mirror image of the other?

Now that you mentioned it. Yes.

a reply to: booyakasha
You nailed it. Living in Fl, project thunderbolt and sprite and jet imaging has me convinced Electric universe theory is more likely than current models.

a reply to: gortex

So what are they, particulates we've put up to affect the weather. Aluminum?

a reply to: Dutchowl

Here's an explanation of the phenomena

notice the spiral at the bottom too. This was depicted in a lot of ancient rock art.

If there was a more powerful one, im sure it would be more distinct.