Everyone can contribute in their own small way to the advancement of science.. scientific progress In understanding natural phenomena It’s actually a long and slow process.Sometimes in giant leaps, but in general, each new knowledge is acquired step by step.
No wonder that even today there are many natural phenomena that have been observed and documented but remain poorly understood. We are not referring to UFOs (Unidentified Flying Objects) or, as they are called today, UAPs (Unidentified Aerial Phenomena).
We are talking about the “red elves”. (or “red sprite“In English), a little-understood phenomenon that occurs in the Earth’s upper atmosphere. The English term SPRITE is an abbreviation that stands for Stratospheric and mesosphere disturbances caused by electrification of severe thunderstormsi.e. disturbances of the mesosphere resulting from the electrical activity of thunderstorms.
English term ghost means dwarf It has been used as shorthand for a phenomenon so elusive that it is reminiscent of elves.
Given the elusive nature of this phenomenon, The reference to the “red elves”, which in English are called red goblins, could not be better.
What do we know about the “Red Elves”?
As the name suggests, it’s a somewhat elusive phenomenon, one of those that one can say… it exists… but it doesn’t… but did it exist?
actually, These are very short phenomena lasting a few thousandths of a second, It is almost impossible to understand with the naked eye, but it can be recorded with cameras or specialized equipment.
Red sprites can be seen from Earth and from space. They occur between the stratosphere and the mesosphere.
The Earth’s atmosphere is divided into several layers: the troposphere, which is the lowest layer in contact with the surface and extends to a height of about 17 kilometers, the stratosphere, which reaches a height of about 50 kilometers, the mesosphere, which reaches a height of 80 kilometers, the thermosphere, which reaches a height of about 550 km, and the exosphere, which exceeds 550 km.
Red sprites are always observed between the stratosphere and mesosphere above important storm cells..
The most widely accepted scientific hypothesis Naturally, but not decisively, It is a kind of reverse lightning.
The release of one or more lightning bolts with the transfer of electrical charge from the cloud to the ground creates the electrical conditions necessary to release one or more secondary lightning bolts upward from the same cloud. This lightning in the opposite direction will appear as “red sprites”.
The goblins appear moments after the lightning strike.:A sudden reddish flash that can take many forms, often combining spreading columns with bright, barbed tendrils resembling the tentacles of a jellyfish. Some sprites tend to dance during thunderstorms, turning on and off one after the other in succession.”
The “secret” project.
For several years, The scientific community has become aware of the importance of the contribution of non-scientists.Rather, they are simple, enthusiastic citizens, in various fields.
For example, in the field of astronomy, Amateur astronomers have discovered and continue to discover supernovae, asteroids, and exoplanets. In order to coordinate and improve individual contributions, free membership projects called “citizen science” are created.
With the aim of collecting photographic documentation of the “red elves” obtained over the years by individual citizens but also of other transient light phenomena (TLE), and in order to coordinate activities by putting citizens in contact with professionals, NASA created the “spritacular” (pronounced sprite-tacular) project.
Anyone interested in the project and who thinks they can contribute their own photos can find them at the following link: https://spritacular.org/ Required information.
Curious about goblins! Although evidence of goblin sightings dates back centuries, The first recording was made only in 1989. And by chance. In fact, while testing a camera designed for a space mission, and looking at the recordings after the tests, scientists unexpectedly discovered that the elusive sprites had been recorded (for the first time!).
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