Rare Red Sprite Captured Above Western Australia in Early 2026

A seldom-seen atmospheric event, known as a red sprite, was documented in early January 2026 over the remote Kimberley region of Western Australia. This sighting falls under the classification of Transient Luminous Events (TLEs). The fleeting flash of red light, which manifests high above intense thunderstorms, was successfully captured on camera by storm-chasing photographer J.J. Rao.

Red sprites are vast electrical discharges occurring in the mesosphere, situated approximately 50 to 90 kilometers above cumulonimbus clouds. While sometimes mistakenly labeled as upper-atmospheric lightning, these phenomena are fundamentally cold plasma discharges. Their mechanism more closely resembles the glow seen in a fluorescent tube rather than the superheated channel of typical tropospheric lightning. Scientists theorize that the red light emission results from the excitation of atmospheric nitrogen within the rarefied upper air.

These luminous events are secondary to the storm activity below, often triggered by powerful positive cloud-to-ground lightning strikes. Weather expert and photographer Danny Velgama has previously noted that the Kimberley area offers an ideal vantage point for capturing sprites. This is largely due to the minimal light pollution and the predominantly flat terrain characteristic of the region. Successfully documenting these events demands precise camera placement relative to the storm, which can be situated 150 to 200 kilometers away. For instance, a photographer positioned in Derby might be capturing a storm cell near Fitzroy Crossing. This illustrates the significant technical challenge involved in recording these ephemeral occurrences.

The scientific community confirms that sprites diverge significantly from conventional lightning, not just in their altitude—mesosphere versus troposphere—but also in their composition as glowing plasma. The theoretical groundwork for TLEs was first laid out by Scottish physicist Charles Thomson Rees Wilson back in 1924. However, tangible photographic evidence was not secured until 1989. Sprites can manifest in various configurations, including bulbous shapes with downward-extending tendrils, sometimes colloquially referred to as carrot sprites. The observation made in the Kimberley in January 2026 contributes valuable data to ongoing TLE research, as scientists believe these events play a crucial role in maintaining Earth's electrical equilibrium.

To achieve successful imaging, photographers often rely on highly sensitive black-and-white CCD cameras. Although these cameras do not register the characteristic red hue, they provide the necessary sensitivity to record events that last mere milliseconds. Researchers, including those involved with NASA’s Spritacular project, are actively leveraging citizen science and crowdsourcing efforts to gather more imagery. This collaborative approach aims to deepen the understanding of the formation mechanisms that bridge terrestrial weather systems with the charged layers of near-space.