NASA shares stunning picture of Gigantic Jets above Himalayas

A breathtaking series of gigantic jets was recently captured by NASA, shooting up from a thunderstorm over the Himalayan Mountains on the border between China and Bhutan. This rare celestial event occurred last week and was immortalized in a composite image by NASA, showing four lightning discharges happening within minutes of each other.

Gigantic jets are a unique and powerful type of lightning that extends from the top of a thunderstorm cloud all the way to the edge of space. These phenomena, relatively recent discoveries in atmospheric science, have been documented only in the 21st century. Unlike the more familiar types of lightning—cloud-to-cloud and cloud-to-ground—gigantic jets bridge the gap between thunderstorms and the Earth's ionosphere, soaring high above the storm clouds.

The image, named NASA’s Astronomy Photo of the Day for June 18, beautifully illustrates the complexity of these jets. The lower portions of the jets resemble blue jets, which are lightning strikes that reach from the cloud upward, while their upper sections are similar to red sprites, which extend into the upper atmosphere.

Despite ongoing research, the exact mechanisms and triggers behind gigantic jets remain somewhat mysterious. However, it is understood that they play a role in balancing electrical charges between different atmospheric layers. Observing such phenomena usually requires viewing a distant but powerful thunderstorm from a clear vantage point.

Interestingly, a few years ago, a plane passenger flying from Munich to Singapore captured images of a lightning storm that included a gigantic jet. This jet was caught in a single 3.2-second exposure above Bhadrak, India, in 2018, showcasing the rare and stunning nature of these atmospheric events.

In summary, NASA's recent capture of gigantic jets over the Himalayas provides a fascinating glimpse into one of nature's rarest and most powerful lightning phenomena, highlighting both their beauty and the ongoing mystery surrounding their formation.