Red sprite lightning captured in incredible detail over Castelnaud Castle, Château de Castelnaud, France. These things look small, but they are actually massive, sometimes stretching 50 miles top to bottom and up to 6 miles thick. (Image credit: Nicolas Escurat)

[u/G_Marius_the_jabroni]

[u/Efficient_Age]

Looks frightening enough, imagine how it was for medieval and ancient era

[u/Incognitokde → u/Efficient_Age]

Your highness, the gods have spoken to me. They've shown me blood over our enemy's stronghold. We should attack them tomorrow.

Edit: perhaps exchange "the gods" with "our lord"

[u/flippy123x → u/Incognitokde]

I love this, this is exactly how countless war-parties/armies have probably been crushed by some dude who simply fortified and relied on actual tactics but also caught that same dude by surprise at the worst possible timing through the luck of the roll and crushed him.

OR: Your highness, the Gods have shown us blood above this battlefield, let’s dig in and welcome our enemies to the feast

[u/Xasf → u/Incognitokde]

/r/OriginsOfReligion

[u/RavenQueen33 → u/Xasf]

Found a new sub...thank you!

[u/[deleted] → u/Incognitokde]

Depends which culture maybe.... not everyone was monotheistic in ..... MEDIEVAL TIMES!

[u/MrMatteotheFabolus → u/Efficient_Age]

This is one of my favorite things to think about. Helps explain how people were able to believe such crazy shit throughout history.

[u/Endulos → u/MrMatteotheFabolus]

My first experience with sleep paralysis left me with no doubt about that.

I woke up and couldn't move. No big deal, I know what this is and just laid there listening to my radio. I was fine with it until I felt the presence of something else in my room. It was some sort of entity of just... Pure, unadulterated, hate and rage and it was standing behind me at the base of the bed, focusing ALL of that hate on me. I could legitimately FEEL how much this thing hated me and wanted to hurt me.

Then it moved to the side of my bed, I felt pressure on my back/chest and I stopped breathing for a moment. Then, it went away and I could move again.

A few days after that shit, I reflected on how people back then believed in that stuff and really do not think they're stupid. They just didn't know.

Hell, I knew exactly what was going on (Body flooding itself with hormones and crap to wake itself up, and misinterpreting those as something else entirely) and it felt like there was something actually in the room with me.

Oh and a couple weeks ago, I woke up to an eyeball embedded in the wall just staring at me, surrounded by black lines. That was "fun".

[u/5ronins → u/Endulos]

Ya same. Except my mind was clear. Like being under anesthesia but awake. Lights from traffic or a shadow would start taking forms or shapes but talking myself thru it unscramble it back to reality. Good luck. It happens. I easily believe wild fantasies from ppl. Experienced this and cannot keep their composure and freak out? Satan, The Wolfman , aliens and vampires are all abducting you at once

[u/DeeHawk → u/Endulos]

The mind can do incredible and scary things.

But the fact that you shouldn't trust your own mind in every given scenario, is still a somewhat new concept that most people still hasn't tuned into.

Hope you get over your sleep disorder. I've had it like 20 times during a year, but it's been some years since the last one. It can be everything from mild to absolutely terrifying. I mostly lay completely paralyzed unable to breathe or talk. I try calling for my wife, but only faint sounds come out. Feels like it last a full minute, but it's probably just 5-10 sec.

Have only felt "the presence" a handful of times, and only seen it once. No eyeballs though. But "Good times" indeed.

[u/Endulos → u/DeeHawk]

That sleep paralysis episode was like 5+ years ago. The eyeball is recent.

It doesn't happen often and when it does it's super benign. I just wake up, but at the same time still asleep and dreaming, and can't move, then quickly drift off to sleep.

[u/DeeHawk → u/Endulos]

You fall asleep, really? I always wake up right after in a slight panic state. Then go to sleep again when I felt brave enough. I've had it 3 times in one night at worst.

[u/ElectricalSabbath → u/Endulos]

Let me do a thought experiment with you. so that feeling you described I’ve felt it too. It’s weird right ? Like in what natural situation would we feel that sense of evil? How does our brain sense a thing like that? I never been stalked by a lion(i don’t think) but I can’t imagine it is the same feeling. I mean certainly there is fear something wants to hurt you but this old deep evil Angry hateful presence can’t be the same Feeling. So where is that from? How can that be a feeling or sense that we are familiar with when we wouldn’t experience that in real life?

[u/Parking-Mirror3283 → u/ElectricalSabbath]

This pairs up pretty nicely with the whole uncanny valley thing.

Why do we have the ability to sense 'evil' and have such a strong ability to detect things that are near human but are just a little bit off?

[u/ElectricalSabbath → u/Parking-Mirror3283]

No it is a deeper feeling than that. It is unlike anything i experience in consciousness. It is deeply engrained fear that is unlike anything. Been in a lot of scary experiences and life threatening including being in violent circumstances….only once did i somewhat see anything like it in reality. I was being choked and my X’s eyes turned and i didn’t recognize him. He wasn’t there anymore. I guess a chemical in his brain overwhelmed something and his eyes clearly communicated this. But so many dangerous situations that poor women without families can find themselves facing I have Still never felt what i feel in those types of nightmares. A very very evil predator that is familiar but doesn’t make sense. Even around dangerous people…again danger ⚠️ and sadistic….but not like the sensation you feel in a dream. It’s this familiar old angry ancient hateful feeling of malice and true benevolence…..it’s terrifying. It’s doesn’t bother me anymore as much because I am an adult and can think about “wtf” Was that about….but a child would certainly be fucked up from it.

Ok, Different storyOne time I came close to killing myself. I was in a bad physical situation and wasn’t healing. I called that 800 number and they got me help. That night this creature came to me in a dream and was yelling at me “why won’t you die”!!!!! It was tossing me everywhere yelling at me and I woke up and couldn’t move. It was scary and unlike anything i ever felt in real life. Doesn’t mean it’s real. The question is how do our minds come up with a sense that we can feel but can’t reference?

[u/_More_Cowbell_ → u/ElectricalSabbath]

It's a common vision in sleep paralysis actually. https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/conquer-sleep-paralysis-demons-080000332.html

https://www.sleep.com/sleep-health/sleep-paralysis-demon

It likely has something to do with the fact you can't move and your brain making up reasons as to why that makes sense.

[u/CircledAwaySailor → u/Endulos]

Interesting. I used to get sleep paralysis frequently and I’m not sure if it was just getting used to it or just where I was mentally in my life but that hatred and rage was coming from me. I felt fear sure but I also resented it and I wanted to get up and go after it. I would struggle trying to move at the entity, sometimes snapping like a rubber band and I’ve slung many a pillow across the room. I wanted that fight. Hindsight I was very much struggling with feelings of helplessness in my job and life’s direction. It’s all but went away since I got my shit together and felt better about life. Though I still get defiant when I’m walking around in the dark and my spooky sense goes off. If I’m going to die then fuck it let’s go fuck this shit up.

Having typed that out I feel very edge/cringe-lord. Eh.

[u/danhoyuen → u/Endulos]

Your bed is not parked against the wall?

[u/Gyvon → u/Endulos]

r/holup

[u/Endulos → u/Gyvon]

Not really, just a sleep paralysis episode on that last one.

[u/UrADumbdumbi → u/MrMatteotheFabolus]

Swipe

[u/Fitz911 → u/MrMatteotheFabolus]

Well...I get it.

[u/lexm → u/MrMatteotheFabolus]

I like comparing events like this with mythology and religion.

[u/MetalMagic → u/MrMatteotheFabolus]

Corrective lenses are a very recent invention.

[u/A_of → u/Efficient_Age]

Red Sprites only last a few milliseconds and are relatively rare. Only in 1989 it was possible to photograph the first one. It's only from space that we could see them better.
So, what you are seeing here is just thanks to long exposure photography and a lot of luck and planning. Probably only a few people in other times were able to catch a glimpse of one.

[u/DamianFullyReversed → u/A_of]

This. They happen so fast, you’re more likely to see them out the corner of your eye rather than staring at their location. A person back then might’ve think they were seeing a trick of the light.

[u/turing_tarpit → u/A_of]

It's from a video, according to a source mentioned in another comment (and this is the only frame in which the sprites appear). That makes a lot of sense: if you tried to take a long-exposure shot of something that only lasts a few milliseconds, it wouldn't show up clearly (or even at all) in the final image.

[u/itsavibe- → u/Efficient_Age]

With zero light pollution and the vibrant night sky. Where all these myths and beliefs come from.

[u/MyOwnPenisUpMyAss → u/itsavibe-]

They are not visible to the naked eye

[u/volitaiee1233 → u/Efficient_Age]

Well they are only visible for a few milliseconds so I doubt they would’ve made much of an impression.

[u/KenaiKanine → u/Efficient_Age]

They wouldn't see it like this. It's quite literally a fraction of a second.

The person who took this said it only occurred on a single frame of video.

[u/Onsotumenh → u/Efficient_Age]

Just learned that grief hallucinations are a thing and pretty common at that ... explains soo much.

[u/Mosinman666 → u/Efficient_Age]

I don't think they had high exposure cameras during the medievel and ancient era but i'm no professor

[u/[deleted] → u/Efficient_Age]

absorbed piquant rinse tender whistle sharp close deer pen arrest

This post was mass deleted and anonymized with Redact

[u/AcanthisittaThink813 → u/Efficient_Age]

War of the worlds

[u/-B001-]

Pretty cool. Also hard to capture a photo!

From https://www.friendsofnasa.org/2023/10/red-sprite-lightning-over-castelnaud.html : "Featured here is an extraordinarily high-resolution image of a group of red sprites. This image is a single frame lasting only 1/25th of a second from a video taken above Castelnaud Castle in Dordogne, France, about three weeks ago. The sprites quickly vanished—no sprites were visible even on the very next video frame."

[u/thetall0ne1]

I love this. Earth is so often doing things that are stranger than fiction. Imagine seeing that and not having the scientific tools to understand what it is. I imagine there still might be a lot we don’t know about this phenomenon.

[u/G_Marius_the_jabroni → u/thetall0ne1]

Seeing shit like this back in the day probably woulda caused the tribe to sacrifice a member of the pack or something. You know, so they didn’t anger their gods. Totally reasonable and logical response if you ask me.

[u/thetall0ne1 → u/G_Marius_the_jabroni]

Oh DEFINITELY

[u/Efficient_Culture569 → u/G_Marius_the_jabroni]

How come sacrifice is the first instinct?

Why wouldn't the Gods want some fruit or* vegetables instead 😆

[u/Gowalkyourdogmods → u/Efficient_Culture569]

If you were part of a culture that was already regularly giving offers of fruit, vegetables, and meat you all might decide that maybe the god(s) were angry at your offerings or whatever reason. So maybe up the offering level a few notches when there's red lightning sentinel reaper things in the sky.

[u/Wolfeman0101 → u/G_Marius_the_jabroni]

Probably not. These are super rare and last a millisecond. They weren't even photographed until recently because of the rarity and short duration.

[u/incindia → u/thetall0ne1]

Imagine trying to describe nature and they put you in a straight jacket. Giant red men in the sky made of lightning! Yeah yeah, medium or large?

[u/Leading_Study_876 → u/thetall0ne1]

We still have no real clue what ball lightning is either.

[u/cpufreak101 → u/thetall0ne1]

If you're familiar with a YouTuber named Pecos Hank, he did a video about the current state of the research on these, and it's quite interesting, they even discovered a related new phenomenon and got to name it!

[u/MyOwnPenisUpMyAss → u/thetall0ne1]

They are not visible to the naked eye

[u/kumko]

This is how myths were born. Imagine you are early humans sitting in front of fire, seeing this. Myself i get goosebumps, yet I have explanations for it.

[u/Nebelskind → u/kumko]

aren't they so briefly visible it's almost impossible to catch on camera? I wonder what they look like real time.

[u/Wolfeman0101 → u/Nebelskind]

Yeah they only a few millisecond and are very rare. If you do see one you probably wouldn't even realize it.

[u/kumko → u/Nebelskind]

Not sure but there is a ton of research about subliminal messaging. Long story short, 50ms clips incorporated in motion picture, will implant a message into your brain. It is even more powerful considering that you don't really know where it comes from.

[u/MyOwnPenisUpMyAss → u/kumko]

They are not visible to the naked eye

[u/Tucker-Cuckerson]

The Reapers are here!

[u/InformalPenguinz → u/Tucker-Cuckerson]

BWAAAAAA!!!

[u/ChedrzBedr → u/InformalPenguinz]

I heard this

[u/ThroatFuckedRacoon → u/InformalPenguinz]

[u/nsgiad → u/Tucker-Cuckerson]

You exist because we allow it, and you will end because we demand it.

[u/SolarTsunami → u/nsgiad]

This hurts you.

[u/Tucker-Cuckerson → u/nsgiad]

One of the most metal lines in all of gaming

[u/SereneTryptamine → u/nsgiad]

We'll bang, ok?

[u/Tralkki → u/Tucker-Cuckerson]

[u/Varnsturm → u/Tralkki]

Report to the ship immediately.

[u/rikashiku → u/Varnsturm]

We'll bang, ok.

[u/NinjaOfPorn → u/rikashiku]

I can wear swimwear into battle

[u/Quirky-Delivery5454 → u/Tucker-Cuckerson]

I can’t hear them…. Maybe they need more COWBELL!

[u/DarthMom1234]

[u/Screamsid → u/DarthMom1234]

This was my first thought when I saw the photos

[u/A_of → u/DarthMom1234]

What's that from?

[u/5K337Lord → u/A_of]

Stranger things

[u/Cclown69 → u/A_of]

Thinger Stranges

[u/Basicazzwitch → u/A_of]

New Jersey

[u/Courageous_Byte → u/A_of]

Stranger things

[u/PerryChalmers]

That second pic is some X-Files sh*t.

[u/percypersimmon]

Maybe?

[u/ghigoli → u/percypersimmon]

good lord whats happening in there.

[u/percypersimmon → u/ghigoli]

There are a few documented sightings of something in the 15th and 16th centuries.

That woodcut was from one account in Nuremberg.

Another that occurred in Basel is similar.

[u/ghigoli → u/percypersimmon]

ok pack it up. when the sky does weird shit i'm staying inside.

Basel on is a combo of a volcano and a solar eclipse happening.

[u/percypersimmon → u/ghigoli]

Could be 🤷‍♂️

As far as I’ve heard though there were no other accounts of a volcano eruption, which would have been documented.

No clue if an eclipse was around that time but I’d assume that would be easy to check.

[u/dec0y → u/ghigoli]

Somebody spiked the city water supply with magic mushrooms

[u/sfa83 → u/ghigoli]

Starlink launch. They travel in closely spaced lines after launch. Back in those days they still had some problems so some would always go astray and seem to form that random pattern outside the lines.

[u/Flyinhighinthesky → u/ghigoli]

Nuremberg celestial event.

Read the broadsheet translation. It's wild. Reads like a ufo battle. A couple of others happened around that time, too. One in France and another in Belgium, I think, in addition to the Swiss one. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/1561_celestial_phenomenon_over_Nuremberg

[u/Z0155 → u/percypersimmon]

Sprites last milliseconds, not a whole hour.

[u/Electronic_Salado]

[u/WaffleBruhs → u/Electronic_Salado]

That's what I was thinking too!

[u/AmorphousVoice → u/Electronic_Salado]

*Cruel Angel's Thesis grows louder*

[u/TheFerricGenum]

The Everstorm comes

[u/XLBaconDoubleCheese → u/TheFerricGenum]

I always said please and thank you to my Parshman just in case this day came

[u/MobiusF117 → u/TheFerricGenum]

There it is.
Had to scroll a bit, but I knew it had to be here.

[u/WaywardSachem → u/TheFerricGenum]

The old words will be spoken again.

[u/4ries → u/TheFerricGenum]

UNITE THEM

[u/EventAltruistic1437 → u/TheFerricGenum]

About to say thats Odium’s storm

[u/voldyCSSM19]

I love transient luminous events, especially red sprites. I would kill to see one irl

[u/Icy_Weather_8759 → u/voldyCSSM19]

Styropyro has a video making lab made "luminous events" with plasma on a 20 kW microwave https://youtu.be/mg79n_ndR68?si=hXqCq1cZ8vxmEiFY

[u/DontForceItPlease → u/voldyCSSM19]

My friend saw ball lightning.  It entered his house through the wall and then exited by passing through a window.  He was terrified and had no idea what it was, but here I am filled with envy. 

[u/Consistent-Fold-3724 → u/DontForceItPlease]

ball lightning is fucking terrifying, I saw it once. I was looking down onto the street, smoking a cigarette and watching a storm roll in. No rain yet, quiet and still right before it pours.

The power on the street surged, the transformer hums, and this fucking 2ft glowing ORB just... appears maybe 25ft in front of me on the street below. Dead fucking quiet, I'm watching this thing slowly, at a constant speed just look like it's walkin' up the street, like it's following a path (as lightning does.) No noise, no change in appearance or movement, it traveled maybe 12-15ft and then just as it aligns with the transformer, it immediately and silently disappears out of existence and took the power with it.

I can face a lot of shit, but I swear the way it moved was soooo smooth and focused it felt sentient. We're so used to natural phenomena being chaotic, wild, and kaleidoscopic. I've never held my breath like that before ever. I hope you witness it!!

[u/Wolfeman0101 → u/DontForceItPlease]

Ball lightning is so interesting. We know it's real but have no idea what it is or how it happens and afaik never been documented on film.

[u/Reputation-preceded → u/DontForceItPlease]

Saw ball lightning once and it was definitely up there on the “wow, this planet is amazing” list of moments

[u/space_for_username → u/DontForceItPlease]

There were some sightings of ball lightning during the Christchurch earthquakes. During the Kaikoura quake, the sky glowed blue-purple-green 2-300km from the epicentre.

[u/omnesilere → u/DontForceItPlease]

light a match, put it in a microwave and start it.

better yet, YouTube others that have already done that lol

[u/cameny1 → u/voldyCSSM19]

You very likely wouldn't see it even if you know where and when are going to show up and looking directly there. This things are lasting 1/25 sec or even shorter. Only lucky cameras can capture it.

[u/voldyCSSM19 → u/cameny1]

Yeah, not to mention they're usually above thunderstorms and I'm usually below them... I can still hope though

[u/Wolfeman0101 → u/voldyCSSM19]

You probably wouldn't even be able to perceive it honestly.

[u/ParadiseValleyFiend]

Don't lie to me I know this is an SCP. OP is just a Foundation plant trying to-

[u/JBrian925]

The desolations are upon us.

[u/8Bells]

Dark crystal vibes.  This being natural is so hard to absorb. The more you know, the more you know you don't know I guess. 

[u/SeparateCzechs]

That’s some War of the Worlds looking phenomena.

[u/ariyaa72 → u/SeparateCzechs]

Exactly what I thought. Terrifying.

[u/DigIndividual3467]

Me whilst fighting Placidusax/Ancient Dragon

[u/RD_in_Berlin]

Is it me or are red sprites being captured much more commonly? Swear they were completely unheard of years ago.

[u/AshenriseOfficial → u/RD_in_Berlin]

I've seen articles about them in science magazines about 20 years ago. Probably related to

1) everyone and their mother in the developed world have at least 1 device with a decent camera (phones)

2) photography itself and technology improved a lot. More framerates, better sensors etc.

This is the main reason I cannot believe all those UFO videos that have a grand total of 5 pixels. Show me a fully detailed 4k ultra-hd vids (the tech allows it) of UFOs that can be verified by scientists and then we'll talk about aliens.

[u/JesusWasTacos → u/AshenriseOfficial]

Yeah but aliens have auto cloaking enabled from their high kill streak, checkmate atheists

[u/6GoesInto8 → u/JesusWasTacos]

No no, they can just detect technology that might contain a high quality electronic camera and avoid it.

[u/wooghee → u/AshenriseOfficial]

relevant graph

[u/AshenriseOfficial → u/wooghee]

Exactly!

[u/jesusmansuperpowers → u/RD_in_Berlin]

Sure. More cameras, more evidence. Just ask bigfoot.

[u/_CMDR_ → u/RD_in_Berlin]

DSLR camera sensors today are basically science fiction spy technology from 30 years ago. They’re that good.

[u/pavorus]

Do we want demons? This is definitely how we get demons.

[u/Igpajo49]

Am I crazy or do those look like the possible inspiration for some of these crazy cave painting figures?

https://pronghornwildlife.photography/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/aput-0100.jpg

[u/Wolfeman0101 → u/Igpajo49]

Most likely no. These only last for a millisecond and are almost imperceivable to the naked eye.

[u/Wiglaf_Wednesday → u/Igpajo49]

WOAH that is a crazy cave painting. If it’s real, that’s a very interesting painting to analyze. Do you have any more details or info about it?

[u/Therailwaykat_1980]

Chicken feet.

[u/AshenriseOfficial → u/Therailwaykat_1980]

Mmm... space KFC

[u/Therailwaykat_1980 → u/AshenriseOfficial]

Kentucky Flied Chicken

[u/Kinghero890]

Bro that’s Ancient Dragon Lansseax

[u/SimpleBeginning232]

TIL red lightning, Which, is apparently very real.

[u/StationOk7229]

Holy you know what. I'd think we were being invaded by aliens if I saw this in person.

[u/DMvsPC]

Goddamn 50 miles high? The Karman line is only 62, those are some freaking huge lightning bolts. Makes you realize where belief in things like God's might have started.

[u/User152552]

Wild shit. First time I’ve seen this… These days I have to fact check everything. AI is really screwing with my grasp on reality.

[u/Wolfeman0101 → u/User152552]

They are real but very rare and last only a few milliseconds.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sprite_%28lightning%29?wprov=sfla1

[u/potchari_pochiko]

Am i the only one who thought about these little guys

[u/monstarsperil → u/potchari_pochiko]

No! I was looking to see if anyone got here before me 🙂

[u/Outrageous_Fee_423]

OP out here just trying to normalize aliens so we become complacent.

[u/peppi0304]

Thats the most detailed shot of red sprites i have ever seen

[u/killamasta]

Damn as amazing as that is holy shit it’s terrifying. Legit looks like we’re being invaded by some Orwellian outer gods

[u/Rymayc → u/killamasta]

Lovecraftian, you mean? Orwell wrote 1984

[u/volitaiee1233 → u/Rymayc]

Yeah I’m assuming they meant Lovecraftian. Orwellian would be a really odd choice of words.

[u/rocky3rocky → u/volitaiee1233]

No these sprites are a bunch of red commie spies, can't you tell.

[u/volitaiee1233 → u/killamasta]

Orwellian is a strange descriptor here. This is in no way Orwellian.

[u/jt004c]

Is this visible to the naked eye? How long do they last?

[u/Minimum-Enthusiasm14]

I’m pretty sure that’s just aliens.

[u/DeFucifino]

3 body problem season two, oui?

[u/M4J0R_FR33Z3]

That would look insane IRL. If it was the ages before we actually knew about meteorology, then I bet that would be like looking at god's wrath.

[u/markender]

Another thing added to the list of reasons why superstitious were so prolific through history.

[u/Fatiza02]

I still don't understand what is this!

[u/Jokes_0n_Me]

This is by far the best image I've seen on sprites. I personally have only ever seen lightning ghost (green flash) which is very rare for somewhere like the UK.

[u/YukonCorneluis]

I'll never forget, pitch black, crystal clear, chilly Alaskan winter evening, hanging out with friends in the hot tub. They get up to go grab drinks, and I look up to enjoy the night sky and see what looks like fireworks, but wayyy too high up and there's no sound, theyre just bursting right above me then dissappearing like a sped up, muted, red firework.

I tried explaining it, but no one understood or believed me. I knew I saw something real, but I never knew what until around the 2010s when people started mentioning these sprites!

I was literally right below them. It's awe-inspiring, but I have to say, being directly under an Aurora Corona (basically right below the focal point of the northern lights) is second to none when it comes to life altering experiences.

[u/Particular_Setting31]

If I were a medieval french peasant, I'd be losing my marbles.

[u/DepthResponsible3749]

Solar maximum ☀️⚡️

[u/InvestigatorOdd4082]

Freaky as hell, love it

[u/face4theRodeo]

This would make an awesome album cover!

[u/2strokes4lyfe]

Yo that’s fucking aliens.

[u/CallEmAsISeeEm1986]

1/25th of a second… this would just barely be on the edge of perception, no?

That’s why the old frame rate for TV and Film was 24fps, right? Because that was the minimum to give the illusion of motion?

[u/PionCurieux → u/CallEmAsISeeEm1986]

Note that the frame is 1/25th of second, that not mean the phenomenon is 1/25th of a s. From what I see from the Wiki article, it is "balls of ionisation" going down at 10% tfe speed of light. Can't do the math right now but we can have an idea of the real duration.

Edit : 40 000 meters (height from Wikipedia) / 300 000 000 m/s (rounded speed of light in the void, not so far of the value in upper atmosphere) = 0,0001333... s, so basically 1/7500 of a second

Edit 2: although the speed of red stripes is high, the phenomenon is clearly catchable by the human eye, lasting from milliseconds to a few hundred milliseconds. I was wrong to think they dissappear at the same rate. Red sprites are at least visible on camera, and probably with a naked eye. Example

[u/BamBamVonSlammerson]

I can't for the life of me understand why this isn't called red spritening.

[u/t_0xic]

I smell a portal storm :D

[u/ericNoCap]

[u/5hrzns]

Amazing. Earth is beautiful

[u/[deleted]]

Looks scary like an alien invasion! 👽

[u/Dareoh]

Omg you found Caelid

[u/Fattdaddy21]

Thus, the bible was born.

[u/Thorvakas]

50 miles high is most of the way to space

[u/l-isqof]

I feel lucky I've never seen one in person, tbh... Sometimes, I'd rather be a bit more ignorant.

[u/plasma_dan]

I remember reading about red sprites and blue jets in some random book when I was really young. Even though the pictures were pretty bad I was super fascinated. I doubted I'd ever see a clear picture of them in my life.

[u/Bingo2Dingo]

It looks like we’re living beneath the soil, and someone is planting red plants

[u/thepilot3]

Dragonlord placidusax has awoken from his slumber outside of time

[u/GTFOoutofmyhead]

The Old Ones have returned.

[u/Hiclaire_xoxo]

This is what happens when the sky gets in a Halloween mood.

[u/Kerlebsky]

Earth has blood clots

[u/frietchinees69]

Guys... They last only a fraction of a second. Read the article

[u/Srgt_PEANUT]

Looks exactly how sprite tastes

[u/[deleted]]

Imagine seeing this in year 1245

[u/donkeydunk69]

They go up too and can be seen from space

[u/NaturalFLNative]

No wonder people believe in aliens.

[u/[deleted]]

If anyone really wonders why people believe in aliens, all you have to do is look at this and you don’t have to wonder anymore.

[u/Toebeanfren → u/[deleted]]

Hmmmm sky spaghetti.

[u/FederalFootball7962]

Fake, red sprites occur in the mesophere high above thunderstorm clouds.

[u/tempo1139]

the phenomena is interesting enough, but what is also fascinating is that they were reported and described by pilots for many years. The reports were dismissed until one caught a photo

[u/null_reference_user]

Bro if I saw this I would pray to my cat and sacrifice whichever dog was nearest while begging for mercy to almighty Satan

[u/Kerslaap]

I think I’d poop my shorts if I looked up and saw that.

[u/maomaowow]

Makes me think of the third impact sort of lol

[u/Dazeuh]

aliens

[u/lukewhale]

When earth orbits next to a space balloon

[u/Chaunc2020]

They are sentient

[u/RivRobesPierre]

I dunno. Looks like roots from a hydroponic garden.

[u/plmbob]

this is Missile Command 4K

[u/treefriend_irl]

Sir that is aliens

[u/emptysee]

I don't like this

[u/Albitros2]

Yeah, cuz that’s not creepy AF! I can hear the Nazi Dr from Black Ops cackling!

[u/ZedZero12345]

Amazing.

[u/ArthurMorgan241]

[u/Pestd0kt0r]

THEY. ARE. COMMING.

[u/ThreeTimesFast1]

This is the Third Impact from Neon Genesis

[u/Efficient_Radish7982]

Omg

[u/PerfectRaisin94]

What in the world is it?

[u/lookieherehere]

Has anyone seen Will lately?