A group of photographers operating in New Zealand have successfully captured images of red lightning, among the least common atmospheric displays on Earth, where bright red bursts manifest in the heavens.
The photographers had originally set out to capture the night sky over the Ōmārama Clay cliffs in the lower part of the country on a night in October, and unexpectedly witnessed the unusual spectacle.
They thought they would be fortunate to get clear skies that evening, but their expedition turned into “a truly memorable experience,” a team member remarked.
“He was checking his photographs for a Milky Way panorama and realized he had photographed red sprites,” the photographer said. “We just could not believe it – it resulted in excited exclamations and numerous expressions in the dark.”
The scarlet phenomena are bursts of electrical energy in the upper atmosphere, generated by thunderstorms. Unlike conventional electrical strikes that aims at the ground, the phenomena propel upward towards the upper atmosphere, creating appearances that resemble columns, root vegetables or even bell-shaped organisms. The initial image of a this phenomenon was captured – unintentionally – in the late eighties, by a group at the a academic organization.
The phenomena last for such a short time – enduring only a thousandth of a second – that they are rarely visible to the human sight, but an individual got lucky. “I was coincidentally viewing right at a sprite when it took place – pure chance looking at the correct area of the sky and I observed a short crimson illumination,” he explained.
Witnessing the occurrences was a dream for the artist, an acclaimed night scape photographer. “It looks like you are observing something that is not real, it’s very ethereal … the color is a profound crimson that is there for a split second, so it is captivating to witness.”
Photographing a red sprite requires a mastery of advanced imaging techniques, as well as an knowledge about science and creative flare, the individual stated. “It is a deeply engaging type of photography that’s very rewarding as well.”
Another photographer said it was one of the “most extraordinary nights” of his career. “I witnessed the galactic band illuminating above the distant edge while these enormous red tendrils of light moved above a electrical event far on the horizon,” he said.
To his knowledge, there are no other images capturing scarlet electrical bursts and the galactic core from the southern perspective in a single image.
“This was a singular occasion when you realize you are seeing a phenomenon you are unlikely to ever witness again.”
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