A remarkable photograph has captured not just one, but two of the rarest lightning phenomena ever recorded, drawing comparisons to the iconic scene in Independence Day where the alien mothership annihilates the White House.
Italian photographer Valter Binotto managed to capture both a sprite and an ELVE in a single frame on November 28, near the town of Possagno. Sharing the image on Instagram, Binotto described it as “a rare duo lineup of Sprite and ELVE.” He explained that the sprite appears as the red, tentacle-like structure at the center, while the massive red circular shape surrounding it is the ELVE.
What Are Sprites and ELVEs?
Sprites themselves are already considered rare atmospheric events. They are large-scale electrical discharges that occur high above thunderstorm clouds, far beyond the reach of ordinary lightning.
ELVEs, however, are even rarer — and significantly larger.
According to Binotto, ELVEs form when an exceptionally powerful lightning strike produces a strong electromagnetic pulse (EMP). This pulse travels upward and strikes the Earth’s ionosphere, creating a rapidly expanding ring of red light. The glowing red circle seen in the image marks the exact point where the EMP interacted with the upper atmosphere.
Measuring a Lightning Structure Larger Than Cities
Thanks to visible background stars in the photograph, Binotto was able to accurately measure the scale of the ELVE. His calculations show that it reached a height of approximately 85 kilometers (53 miles) and expanded to a diameter of about 230 kilometers (143 miles).
For comparison, Binotto noted that the fictional alien mothership in Independence Day measured roughly 550 kilometers (342 miles) across — making this ELVE a smaller, but still formidable, real-world rival.
Capturing the Impossible on Camera
This was not Binotto’s first success photographing ELVEs. In 2023, he recorded an even larger ELVE measuring 359 kilometers (223 miles) wide. He previously explained to PetaPixel that these phenomena are extremely difficult to photograph using standard equipment.
“The light they emit is very weak and mostly in the infrared spectrum, where standard camera sensors cannot see,” Binotto said. To overcome this, he uses a camera without a traditional infrared cut filter, allowing it to capture infrared wavelengths more effectively.
Because an ELVE is visible for only one millisecond, Binotto records video footage using high ISO settings and a wide-open lens. Capturing both an ELVE and a sprite simultaneously is extraordinarily rare.
One Lightning Strike, Two Rare Phenomena
In this case, both the sprite and the ELVE were triggered by a single lightning strike over the Adriatic Sea, approximately 350 kilometers (217 miles) from Binotto’s location.
The lightning involved was a positive lightning strike with a peak current of 387 kiloamperes (kA) — nearly ten times stronger than typical lightning, according to Binotto.
The Science Behind ELVEs
The term ELVE stands for Emissions of Light and Very Low-Frequency Perturbations due to Electromagnetic Pulse Sources. ELVEs are considered a subclass of sprite-related phenomena and remain an active area of atmospheric and space physics research.
Scientists continue to study how these high-altitude electrical discharges interact with the ionosphere and how they may influence radio communications, satellite systems, and Earth’s electromagnetic environment.
A Photographer Driven by Curiosity
Binotto’s journey into photographing ELVEs and sprites began in 2017, after encountering images of these phenomena online. Inspired by their rarity and scientific significance, he challenged himself to document them firsthand — a challenge that has now resulted in some of the most striking images ever captured of these elusive events.
Why These Images Matter Beyond Photography
Beyond their visual impact, images like these are valuable to space science, atmospheric research, and electromagnetic studies. They help scientists better understand how extreme lightning events affect the ionosphere — knowledge that has implications for satellite safety, aviation systems, radio signal stability, and space weather monitoring.
As interest grows in Earth’s upper atmosphere and its connection to space technology, rare observations like Binotto’s offer both scientific insight and a reminder that some of the most powerful forces on our planet still unfold far above our heads — unseen, fleeting, and extraordinary.
Leave a Reply