A New Kind of Upper Atmospheric Lightning?

Space Weather News for August 31, 2017 http://spaceweather.com https://www.facebook.com/spaceweatherdotcom A NEW KIND OF UPPER ATMOSPHERIC LIGHTNING? In recent years, photographers have catalogued a growing number of luminous forms apparently leaping up from the tops of thunderstorms. These so-called sprites, elves, gnomes, and trolls inhabit the upper atmosphere, reaching their weird-looking tendrils up toward space. On Aug. 14th, an amateur astronomer in New Mexico photographed a rare curving form of upper atmospheric lightning that has baffled experts in the field. Shaped like a funnel or a tornado, it might represent a new addition to the menagerie of sprites. Read all about it on today's edition of Spaceweather.com. Remember, SpaceWeather.com is on Facebook! Above: The curved form in this photo taken by amateur astronomer Thomas Ashcraft may represent a new type of upper atmospheric lightning. Share Tweet Forward Copyright © 2017 Spaceweather.com, All rights reserved.