Mysterious flashes of light called “sprites", that occur above thunderclouds during powerful storms, have been captured on film in unprecedented detail by researchers using an ultra-high-speed camera.
The best images yet of the flashes – which resemble a giant undulating jellyfish with its tentacles falling from a halo of light – have allowed the team to pick apart their structure and mechanics.
http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn8733
Includes an impressive video clip.
Full Version: Atmospheric 'sprites' Captured In Explosive Detail
QUOTE (alan @ Feb 17 2006, 03:40 AM) 
Mysterious flashes of light called “sprites", that occur above thunderclouds during powerful storms, have been captured on film in unprecedented detail by researchers using an ultra-high-speed camera.
The best images yet of the flashes – which resemble a giant undulating jellyfish with its tentacles falling from a halo of light – have allowed the team to pick apart their structure and mechanics.
http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn8733
Includes an impressive video clip.
The best images yet of the flashes – which resemble a giant undulating jellyfish with its tentacles falling from a halo of light – have allowed the team to pick apart their structure and mechanics.
http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn8733
Includes an impressive video clip.
Aiiii! Cthulhu!
See, I told you!
(aaargh)
Bob Shaw
QUOTE (Bob Shaw @ Feb 17 2006, 06:52 AM)
Aiiii! Cthulhu!
See, I told you!
(aaargh)
Bob Shaw
See, I told you!
(aaargh)
Bob Shaw
Cthulhu? You mean FSM. The vid shows us touched by his noodly appendage.
Aaarrrr, yes! Now, just let me adjust my pirate regalia...
-the other Doug
-the other Doug
Is that video upsidedown? I thought Sprites were the things they'd seen from orbit that go upwards?
D
D
i still think this would make a good subject of study for a cubesat
QUOTE (RedSky @ Feb 17 2006, 12:51 PM)
Cthulhu? You mean FSM. The vid shows us touched by his noodly appendage.
Heretic!
You'll be eaten *first*!
Hahahaha.
Bob Shaw
PS Er, sounds like something for a CubeSat, I agree. Let's build one!
I'm glad these sprites are being so well documented now; I remember when pilots used to be ridiculed for reporting them. There's a lesson here - just because a previously unknown phenomenon or finding is seemingly very unusual or strange does not mean it should be dismissed out of hand, which still happens too often and just slows down the scientific process of discovery, rather than furthering it.
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