Sprites are a natural phenomenon that is related to electricity. They occur above thunderstorm clouds, giving rise to a variety of visual shapes that glow in the night sky. Scientists believe that sprites happen when neutrally charged clouds discharge some electricity to the ground.
In short, sprites are rare, large scale electrical discharges, occurring above thunderstorm clouds that appear as attractive visuals. Sprites have a reddish-orange colour in the upper region and bluish tendrils that hang below.
In most cases, sprites are witnessed by those in flight above storms. But since they appear for a very short time, the spectacle is often missed!
This phenomenon is known to have been occurring for centuries- it’s just that no one could really record it. In July 1989, scientists at the University of Minnesota accidentally caught a sprite on camera. Years later, on April 30th, 2012 some astronauts captured a red flash of sprite, which was then used by researchers and people across the world, to study and research.
