Stunning Red Lightning Display Photographed by Artist
A Puerto Rico-based photographer has managed to capture stunning images of elusive ‘gigantic jets’ of lightning, showcasing the incredible power of nature. These extraordinary occurrences, which are both exceptionally rare and possess 50 times more energy than an average lightning bolt, leave viewers in awe.
A photographer’s encounter with the extraordinary
Photographer Frankie Lucena had a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to document these giant jets as the tropical storm developed on August 20th. According to a MailOnline report, the jets, which are closely related to another rare phenomenon called “red sprites,” get their striking purplish color from interactions with the Mail ionosphere, which lies 50 to 400 miles above sea level.
The secrets of giant jets
These upward flashes are an extraordinary sight, occurring only about 1,000 times a year worldwide. Giant jets seem to favor thunderstorms over the open ocean, and less than 1 percent of lightning strikes behave in this “upward” direction.
Although the first documented sighting of a giant jet dates back to July 2002, recent research has shed new light on their origins. A study published last summer in Science Advances explored the structural intricacies of giant jets and their formation in high definition. Georgia Tech Research Institute researcher Levi Boggs began this study after spotting civilian photographs of a giant jet event similar to the recent images of Lucena.
During the August tropical storm, Lucena managed to capture not just one, but three of these massive plasma events. The bolts lit up the night sky over the Caribbean southeast of Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico between 2:56 a.m. and 3:04 a.m. ET. Lucena’s passion for tracking rare weather phenomena was manifested in an earlier discovery, when he spotted giant jets in footage from Hawaii’s Mauna Kea Observatory in July 2017.
Describing these awe-inspiring events, Lucena explained to Spaceweather.com, “They are related to sprites, but more powerful and easier to see with the naked eye.” He also revealed rare sky waves known as gravity waves, which are often seen high above storm clouds.
Capturing these giant jets and studying their unique characteristics continues to amaze researchers and enthusiasts. Their ephemeral nature and rarity have sparked debate over the years, making Lucena’s stunning photographs and research invaluable in unlocking the secrets of these amazing natural phenomena.
