Unraveling the enigma of Himalayan light pillars
Remember those stunning photos of 105 glowing red pillars in the sky above Tibet back in May 2022?
Turns out, they were "red sprites"—a rare type of high-altitude electrical discharge that occurs above thunderstorms.
This was the biggest sprite outbreak ever seen over a South Asian thunderstorm, and even included some super-rare green "ghost sprites," a first for Asia.
What are red sprites?
Red sprites are flashes of electricity that light up way above regular storms—think 40 to 89km high!
They're triggered by massive positive lightning strikes during huge storms.
The one in Tibet covered an area bigger than many countries, with lightning currents as strong as those seen in big US and European storms.
Study
A team from China's University of Science and Technology matched videos, satellite data, and star maps to pinpoint when each sprite appeared—down to less than a second.
They found about 70% lined up with specific lightning bolts below.
Their work shows Himalayan storms can create some of the world's wildest upper-atmosphere light shows.