One of the most mysterious and rare atmospheric flashes, a red sprite, was captured in the sky over the Tibetan plateau. This unique phenomenon lit up the night sky, spilling over the horizon like a giant jellyfish-shaped firework pulsing with blood red light.
The phenomenon, so rare and fleeting that it can be seen only when many favorable factors come together, was captured by Chinese astrophotographer Dong Shuchang, one of the few who have devoted themselves to hunting for the mysterious lights hidden high in the atmosphere.
Red sprites are giant discharges of electricity that occur not in the lower atmosphere, like ordinary lightning, but high above thunderclouds, at altitudes of 40 to 80 kilometers.
They're hard to spot from the ground, especially in city lights or unstable weather. But Shuchang was ready. He carefully studied the forecast, analyzed satellite images, and chose the perfect time and place to shoot them. He chose an elevation on the Tibetan plateau, about 5 kilometers above sea level, a remote location that offered a clear view of the night sky.
The footage was shot at a high frame rate of 120 frames per second, which made it possible to capture the smallest nuances of this fast-moving phenomenon. The footage clearly shows how the flash in the shape of an inverted jellyfish flashes over the horizon for a split second, leaving a bright trace in the darkness.
The sprite itself was recorded on the night of May 31-June 1 near the city of Shannan, in the Xizang (Tibetan) Autonomous Region in southwestern China. The color of this celestial phenomenon is explained by the reaction of nitrogen molecules excited by electrical discharges in the upper atmosphere. The sprites don't just flash - they seem to "explode" upward into the cosmic darkness like inverted lightning.
Shuchang said in an interview with China Central Television (CCTV) that he had prepared for the shoot in advance: "I carefully watched the weather conditions, checked precipitation models, and analyzed the movement of clouds using satellite images. In the end, I chose the night of May 31 to June 1, when thunderstorm activity was expected but the sky was relatively clear. I went up into the mountains where visibility was perfect."
His efforts were not in vain. The video of the sprite caused a furor on Chinese social networks, particularly on Weibo, where it quickly went viral with more than 1.7 million views.
In the caption to the video, Shuchan explained the physical nature of the phenomenon: "Sprite lightning is formed in the middle layer of the atmosphere as a reaction to electromagnetic waves created by ordinary lightning strikes. It exists for a few milliseconds, disappearing before the eye has time to capture it. That's why it's so difficult to capture it on photo or video."
Despite the complexity of the survey, Shuchan's images have not only aesthetic but also scientific value. They are already used by scientists in studies of atmospheric processes.
Thus, Professor Gaopeng Lu, one of the leading experts in the study of lightning, analyzed data from Shuchang's videos, including his footage from 2022. The scientist found that the red sprites were caused by powerful positive lightning discharges traveling from the clouds to the ground and having a high peak current. These discharges occurred in the context of a large mesoscale convective system, a structure capable of generating extreme weather events.
Photo: mymodernmet.com
"This proves that thunderstorms forming in the Himalayas may be the source of some of the strongest and most complex electrical processes in Earth's upper atmosphere," Lu said.
Dong Shuchang himself is not just a photographer, but a true rising star in the world of astrophotography. Despite his young age (he is only 27), he is already internationally recognized. In 2021, he was honored as the best astronomical photographer of the year for his picture of an annular solar eclipse taken under perfectly calibrated conditions.
In addition to rare sprites, his collection includes images of comets, star clusters, and
the Milky Way captured against a backdrop of deserts, mountains, and ancient buildings. His work inspires not only scientists but also a wide range of astronomy and nature lovers.
"I am constantly on the lookout for a new celestial event," admits Shuchan. "For me, the sky is not just an object of observation, but a living stage on which nature's greatest spectacles unfold. My job is to be able to press the button at that very moment."
Thanks to enthusiasts like him, mankind receives not only visual pleasure, but also new knowledge about planet Earth and the complex processes that occur beyond the usual perception.