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Is it a bird, a plane, a UFO? It's a...red sprite
Red sprites, these strange lights in the sky are called; they form above thunderstorms.
Credit: Jason Ahrns
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One-one thousandth of a second: How long red sprites last, faster than our blinking time.
Credit: Jason Ahrns
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Red sprites can resemble glowing jellyfish, with structures like bells and tentacles.
Credit: Jason Ahrns
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Above a thunderstorm's black clouds, red sprites (upper right corner) mimic lightning.
Credit: Jason Ahrns
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Scientists conducted their research aboard the NSF/NCAR Gulfstream-V aircraft.
Credit: NSF/NCAR
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Other NSF-funded research has tracked blue jets, close relatives of red sprites.
Credit: Stanford University
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