Sprites were first reported anecdotally by pilots and scientists for decades but were officially documented in 1989 by researchers from the University of Minnesota who captured them on video.
Lightning sprites are large-scale electrical discharges that occur high above thunderstorms, often in the mesosphere at altitudes between 50 and 90 kilometers (31–56 miles). Unlike traditional lightning, which occurs within clouds or between clouds and the ground,
Massive strikes are 1000 times stronger than regular lightning
Superbolts are an extremely rare and powerful type of lightning discharge that is estimated to be a thousand times more energetic than regular lightning strikes. These bolts can release as much energy as a small atomic bomb, and they have been known to occur in thunderstorms around the world.
