An extremely rare atmospheric phenomenon was captured from orbit on July 3, 2025, when the spacecraft ISS was passing over the territories of Mexico and the United States. Nicole Ayers, a specialist from the American space agency, documented the so-called "red sprite" - an exceptional light phenomenon that appears above a thunderstorm.
The visual recording represents an impressive red vertical column that rises from the cloud surface and is surrounded by a characteristic bluish halo. The image quickly attracted the attention of the scientific community, generating over 2.7 million views on the X platform.
Experts define this atmospheric effect as a transient luminescent event that occurs during a specific electrical interaction between a powerful lightning strike and nitrogen molecules in the high atmospheric layers. Such scientific observations are extremely valuable for understanding electrodynamic processes in the upper atmospheric zones.
The unique perspective from the International Space Station provides exceptional opportunities for in-depth research of the complex mechanisms in the Earth-ionosphere system, while simultaneously improving existing mathematical models for predicting similar atmospheric phenomena.