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Astronauts Capture Nebula-Like Lightning Storms from the ISS

Specialized 120-fps methods developed by NASA astronaut Don Pettit allow ISS crew to reveal fleeting cloud illuminations that deepen knowledge of upper-atmosphere lightning.

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NASA Astronauts Share Spectacular Images Of Lightning Over The US

Overview

  • Nichole Ayers first spotted a lightning storm during her May 1 spacewalk and used interior ISS photography on May 5 to capture the initial images.
  • Anne McClain recorded additional lightning events on May 15 and May 21 while passing over Alabama, Georgia and North Carolina.
  • Each sequence was filmed at 120 frames per second, freezing the brief violet glow that transforms storm clouds into nebula-like formations.
  • Both astronauts credit Don Pettit’s specialized imaging techniques for enabling high-speed, manual photography of transient atmospheric phenomena.
  • Researchers say these space-based observations provide new data on lightning frequency, distribution and its interaction with the upper atmosphere.