In early July 2025, NASA astronaut Nichole “Vapor” Ayers snapped a rare image of a giant red “sprite” phenomenon erupting above a thunderstorm, as she orbited 250 miles (400 km) above Earth. Sprites are brief, luminous columns caused by powerful lightning discharges far below. Ayers noted that having the ISS vantage makes for a “great view above the clouds” and helps scientists analyze these elusive events. This sprite appeared over storm clouds spanning Mexico and the southern U.S. on July 3, 2025. The sighting coincides with NASA’s Spritacular citizen-science project, which crowdsources photos of sprites and other upper-atmosphere flashes.
Rare ‘Sprite’ Phenomenon Explained
According to NASA, sprites are one of the “least understood” and most visually striking upper-atmosphere phenomena. They are brief columns of red light that flash high above thunderclouds, triggered by powerful lightning strikes. Data show sprites often form around 50 miles (80 km) altitude above Earth. These fleeting bursts take varied shapes – tendrils, plumes or towering columns of red light.
In Ayers’s photo, the sprite looks like an inverted scarlet umbrella extending into the sky. Each sprite flash lasts only a few milliseconds, so every image provides valuable data. Observations from orbit and the ground are steadily building a clearer picture of these mysterious storm-driven events. For example, NASA’s Juno mission even recorded sprite-like flares in Jupiter’s atmosphere, suggesting similar lightning processes on other worlds.
Crowdsourcing Sprites
To gather more data on sprites, NASA launched the Spritacular citizen-science project. Through Spritacular, volunteers with cameras can submit photos of upper-atmosphere flashes for research. The project’s website reports over 800 volunteers from 21 countries have uploaded about 360 sprite sightings since its 2022 launch. Each contribution helps scientists map where and how sprites occur. Ayers’s ISS photo adds a valuable perspective that complements citizen reports.
Space.com notes that multiple ISS crew members have begun photographing sprites from orbit, bolstering the data. Spritacular principal investigator Dr. Burcu Kosar says the project “will bridge the gap” between casual observers and researchers. NASA scientists say many questions about how and why sprites form “remain unanswered”, so more images could soon help decode the mystery.
