NASA Invites Public Submissions After Astronaut’s Spectacular Capture

Key Takeaways

1. Nicole Ayers spotted a rare atmospheric phenomenon called a gigantic jet while on the ISS over a thunderstorm.
2. Gigantic jets are different from sprites; they occur at about 20 km above the storm, unlike sprites which form around 50 miles (80 km) above.
3. Both gigantic jets and sprites are types of transient luminous events (TLEs) caused by strong electrical activity in thunderstorms.
4. Other TLEs include blue jets, halos, and ELVEs, which can also offer insights into thunderstorm behavior.
5. NASA encourages the public to share photos of TLEs to help scientists study these phenomena.

On July 3, Nicole Ayers, while she was on the ISS, caught an incredible sight as the space station flew over a thunderstorm in Mexico and the Southern United States. At first, she thought what she saw was a sprite. She shared her excitement in an X post, saying, “Just. Wow. As we went over Mexico and the U.S. this morning, I caught this sprite.”

Understanding Sprites and Gigantic Jets

Sprites, know also as red sprites, are transient luminous events (TLEs) that take place high above thunderstorm clouds or cumulonimbus. They are caused by strong electrical activity within the storms. Although sprites are not seen every day, further examination of Ayers’ image showed that what she saw wasn’t a sprite, but a rarer TLE called a gigantic jet.

A gigantic jet occurs above thunderstorms, sending out strong electrical discharges from the top of the storm, around 20 km above ground, to the upper atmosphere, which is about 100 km above the Earth. The upper part of gigantic jets gives off red light, similar to sprites. However, gigantic jets burst out directly from the thunderstorm tops, while sprites form much higher, at about 50 miles (80 km) above the Earth’s surface.

Other Types of TLEs

In addition to gigantic jets and sprites, there are other types of TLEs, including blue jets, halos, and ELVEs, which stands for Emissions of Light and Very Low Frequency perturbations due to Electromagnetic Pulse Sources. Halos and ELVEs can occur alongside or even before sprites. Captured images of TLEs provide scientists with valuable insights into their formation, features, and connections to thunderstorms. Therefore, NASA is inviting the public to share their photos. If you’ve ever taken a picture of a similar phenomenon, visit Spritacular to submit your photo(s).

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