Astronaut Captures Rare ‘Gigantic Jet’ Lightning Extending 50 Miles Above Earth

A rare ‘gigantic jet' of lightning has been photographed from space, extending nearly 50 miles above the U.S. coastline. The image was taken by an astronaut aboard the International Space Station (ISS) on November 19, 2024, but was not immediately shared by space agencies. The phenomenon was later discovered on NASA's Gateway to Astronaut Photography of Earth website by photographer Frankie Lucena, who specialises in capturing rare lightning events. The images were subsequently highlighted by Spaceweather.com on February 26.

Jet Likely Originated Over Louisiana

According to Spaceweather.com, the ISS was positioned over the Gulf of Mexico at the time of the capture, suggesting that the lightning jet likely originated from a thunderstorm near New Orleans. Due to dense cloud cover in the image, the precise location could not be determined. Four images of lightning were identified in the astronaut's photography sequence, but only one captured the distinct upward-shooting jet.

Understanding Gigantic Jets

Gigantic jets are powerful electrical discharges that travel upward from thunderstorms when charge layers within the clouds become inverted. Unlike conventional lightning that strikes downward, these jets extend into the ionosphere, the atmospheric layer beginning around 50 miles above the Earth's surface. As per Spaceweather.com, these jets emit a blue glow due to interactions with nitrogen in the upper atmosphere and last for less than a second.

Uncommon but Extremely Powerful

Reports indicate that while gigantic jets were first documented in 2001, scientists estimate that around 1,000 could occur annually, though most go undetected. The most powerful recorded jet was observed in May 2018 over Oklahoma, carrying nearly 60 times the energy of a typical lightning strike. These events often conclude with red branching tendrils, similar to lightning phenomena known as sprites, but classified as separate occurrences.