Rare winter sprites in the skies over the Czech Republic

Red electrical discharges, or sprites, breaking out on the tops of severe thunderstorms, reaching the edge of space, while ordinary lightning seek down to earth. Season sprites — summer. So it came as a complete surprise when on the night of 2 December Martin Popek captured a group of winter sprites dancing over the snowy landscape of the Czech Republic.

"It is very rare, — says Popik. — I'm watching the sprites from his Observatory in 2011, and this is only the second time I see them in December".

Sprites — true the phenomenon of space weather. Some researchers believe that they are related to cosmic rays: subatomic particles from deep space striking the top of earth's atmosphere, produce secondary electrons that, in turn, provide the spark that triggers sprites. If so, then the sprites can be increased in subsequent years, because the cosmic radiation is enhanced due to the downturn in the solar cycle. The increase of cosmic radiation may explain the appearance of red sprites out of their season.

Although the sprites have noticed at least a century, most scientists did not believe in their existence until 1989, when they hit the lens of cameras on Board the space Shuttle. Now observers regularly take pictures of the red lightning from their homes.

Translated by «Yandex.Translator»