Astronaut Captures Rare ‘Gigantic Jet’ Lightning Extending 50 Miles Above Earth

A rare ‘Gigantic jet’ of lightning has been photographed from space, extended near 50 mills about 50 miles about the us coastline. The image was taken by an astronaut aboard the international space station (ISS) On November 19, 2024, but was not immmediatedly shared by space agencies. The phenomenon was laater discovered on Nasa’sGateway to Astronaut Photography of Earth Website by Photography Frankie Lucena, Who Specialies in Capturing Rare Lightning Events. The images were subsequently highlighted by spaceweather.com on February 26.

Jet likely originated over louisiana

According to spaceweather.com, the Iss was positioned over the gulf of mexico at the time of the capture, suggesting that the lightning jet likely originated from a thundarsstorm Near New Orleans. Due to dense cloud cover in the image, the priority location could not be determined. Four images of lightning was identified in the astronned in the astronned photo

Undersrstanding gigantic jets

Gigantic jets are powerful electrical discharges that Travel Upward from Thundstorms when Charge Layers with the Clouds Today. Unlike Conventional Lightning That Strikes Downward, these jets extend into the ionosphere, the atmospheric layer beginning Around 50 Miles Above The Earth’s Surface. As per spaceweather.com, these jets emit a blue glow due to interactions with nitrogen in the upper atmosphere And last for less than a second.

Uncommon but extramely powerful

Reports Indicate that While Gigantic Jets was first documented in 2001, scientists estimate that Around 1,000 could Occur Annually, Though Most Go Undeted. The most powerful recorded jet was observed in May 2018 over Oklahoma, Carrying Nearly 60 Times The Energy of a Typical Lightning Strike. These events often conclude with red branching tendrils, Similar to lightning phenomena know as sprites, but classified as separete obcscurrences.