Astronauts Reveal The Shocking Beauty of Lightning From Space

If you continue to exist this planet Earth, odds are excellent that you have skilled a lightning typhoon on your lifestyles: a wild, crashing affair, with forks of sunshine that cut up the sky, accompanied by means of the bone-rattling roar of thunder.

Although lightning is not unusual right here on Earth, there may be nonetheless so much we do not learn about this excessive phenomenon. Scientists have arrange all forms of equipment to determine, and feature made nice strides in teasing out one of the crucial split-second processes that cross right into a bolt of lightning.

Sometimes, then again, a brand new viewpoint will also be useful – and that is the place astronauts aboard the International Space Station can assist. Using ways advanced by means of mythical NASA astronaut Don Pettit, they {photograph} tough lightning storms as they jump 400 kilometers (250 miles) above the planet’s floor.

That’s the topic of new photographs posted to social media by means of NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, recently serving stints aboard the distance station as staff individuals of Expedition 73.

This is what lightning looks as if from the highest down, all taken within the Alabama and Georgia areas. @astro_Pettit advanced this picture method, which used to be additional practiced and handed directly to me by means of my crewmate @Astro_Ayers.

The footage are taken at 120 frames in line with moment, and the… pic.twitter.com/HVbVT0OQNY

— COL Anne McClain (@AstroAnnimal) May 21, 2025

Each symbol is captured at speeds of 120 frames in line with moment; the bright violet glow that turns out to remove darkness from the clouds from inside seems for only a fraction of that point.

Observations of lightning from above the clouds can expose information about the phenomenon that we can not see from right here at the floor. We did not know concerning the upside-down lightning phenomenon of blue jets, as an example, till it used to be noticed from a rocket; space-based observations have been the most important to figuring out the way it labored.

You will have heard me remark at the lightning typhoon underneath us as we were given again into the airlock on Thursday.

I’m so amazed by means of the view now we have up right here of our Earth’s climate programs – a few of which can be so large they even stuck my eye on our spacewalk!

The very subsequent day, I used to be… pic.twitter.com/Dh49EULQi8

— Nichole “Vapor” Ayers (@Astro_Ayers) May 5, 2025

Satellite information may also be used to check the frequency and distribution of storms, and has printed the propagation of ‘killer’ electrons that fly out into area when lightning flashes within the surroundings. The interplay between lightning and the higher surroundings is poorly understood; orbital observations can assist scientists find out about it.

Sometimes, then again, it is great to do a factor simply because you’ll be able to. Not everybody will get the cachet of having the ability to manually {photograph} one in all Earth’s maximum impressive, untamed phenomena from loads of kilometers above the outside.

And then we get to experience them, from proper right here, anywhere you are studying those phrases. Everyone will get to be a winner.