A rare ‘gigantic jet’ of lightning was captured from space by an astronaut aboard the International Space Station on November 19, 2024, but was only highlighted later by Spaceweather.com on February 26. This impressive jet, nearly 50 miles high, likely originated from a thunderstorm near New Orleans. Gigantic jets are powerful upward electrical discharges distinct from typical lightning, extending into the ionosphere and emitting a blue glow due to nitrogen interactions. Although around 1,000 such jets may occur annually, most remain undetected; the most energetic recorded jet took place in 2018 over Oklahoma.
A remarkable ‘gigantic jet’ of lightning has been captured from space, soaring nearly 50 miles above the U.S. coastline. The stunning image was taken by an astronaut aboard the International Space Station (ISS) on November 19, 2024, but it wasn’t shared with the public right away by space agencies. This extraordinary event was later uncovered on NASA’s Gateway to Astronaut Photography of Earth website by Frankie Lucena, a photographer who specializes in rare lightning phenomena. The images were featured by Spaceweather.com on February 26.
Jet Likely Originated Over Louisiana
According to Spaceweather.com, the ISS was directly above the Gulf of Mexico at the moment the image was captured, indicating that the lightning jet probably emanated from a thunderstorm near New Orleans. The thick cloud cover in the image prevented a precise location from being identified. In total, four lightning images were detected in the astronaut’s photographic series, but only one distinctly displayed the upward-shooting jet.
Understanding Gigantic Jets
Gigantic jets are intense electrical discharges that shoot upwards from thunderstorms when charge layers in the clouds reverse. In contrast to typical lightning that strikes downward, these jets extend into the ionosphere, the atmospheric layer that begins about 50 miles above the Earth’s surface. According to Spaceweather.com, these jets emit a blue light due to their interaction with nitrogen in the upper atmosphere and typically last for less than a second.
Uncommon but Extremely Powerful
Reports suggest that although gigantic jets were first observed in 2001, scientists estimate that approximately 1,000 may occur each year, with most remaining unnoticed. The most powerful giant jet recorded was seen in May 2018 over Oklahoma, carrying almost 60 times the energy of an average lightning strike. Such phenomena typically conclude with red branching tendrils, reminiscent of lightning occurrences known as sprites, although they are classified as distinct events.
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