An unusual photograph from the International Space Station (ISS) has appeared on the Internet, which shows the so-called giant jet – a rare type of lightning that occurs in the upper layers of the atmosphere and is directed upward from thunderclouds.
The picture was taken on November 19, 2024, but it was only published now. Photographer Frankie Lucena found a series of four frames in an open NASA database, which allowed a wide audience to enjoy this almost elusive natural phenomenon.
The exact location of the lightning strike remains unknown – cloud cover in the images makes it difficult to determine the location. But given the position of the ISS at the time of shooting, it can be assumed that the “shot” occurred in the area of the coast of New Orleans (USA).
Giant jets were first discovered in 2001. Over more than 20 years, only a few dozen photographs of these atmospheric phenomena have been taken. However, scientists suggest that up to 1,000 such events can occur annually.
