Researchers Record Rare Red Sprites in the Sky Over Oklahoma
Capturing footage of a strange sky phenomenon called red sprites in Oklahoma, Paul Smith, on May 24, 2018, he states, “Lots of Oklahoma TLEs tonight and their one stands out as their best yet. 12.55am/6:55 UTC 5/24/2018 looking at WNW from north of Edmond, Oklahoma. It even has the blue/purple ends on the tendrils.”
Image Credit: Paul Smith.
Paul finds it very curious that TLEs have only been documented for the first time relatively recently: red goblins in particular, once considered rare, are now being recorded more regularly.
And as the storms moved northwest, Paul recorded another sprite lightning event up close in all its glory. The clip really illustrates the electrical connection of the phenomena, the way it flickers seems very electrical in nature to me. First it’s real time and then slowed down 10 times.
Image Credit: Paul Smith.
‘TLE’ stands for Transient Luminous Event, which includes electrical phenomena in the upper atmosphere known as sprites, jets, and ELVES. These high-altitude discharges were once considered ‘possible’ because pilots reported seeing them, but the idea was dismissed by meteorologists until 1989 when the first visual documentation was made to support the claims.
Clearly, great changes are occurring on our planet. And not only on our planet
