Blue Jet lightning, upper atmospheric lightning, sprites, ELVES, gigantic jets, ISS, ASIM, space weather, thunderstorm science
Blue Jet Lightning Explained: Causes, Science, and Stunning Space Observations
A lightning bolt that doesn’t shoot down—but up.
Blue Jets are one of nature’s most spectacular and least understood phenomena.
They burst upward from thunderclouds toward space, illuminating the sky in brilliant blue light.
For a verified real photo and movie of Blue Jet, see ESA’s observation: Blue Jet observed from the ISS (ESA/ASIM).
What is a Blue Jet?
A Blue Jet is an upward lightning discharge that starts near the top of a thundercloud and extends into the stratosphere, up to about 50 km (31 miles). It forms a narrow, cone-shaped beam of blue-violet light lasting less than a second.
- Travels upward, not downward.
- Appears blue-violet due to nitrogen excitation.
- Occurs above strong thunderclouds.
- Extremely brief and rare.
Why is it blue?
The vivid blue color comes from nitrogen molecules in the thin upper atmosphere. When energized by powerful electric discharges, these molecules emit light in the blue and violet spectrum—unlike most ground lightning, which appears white or yellow.
How does it form?
Thunderstorms act as giant electrical generators. Inside the clouds, collisions between ice particles and water droplets separate positive and negative charges. When the upper part of a storm becomes highly charged, a discharge can escape upward into the thinner air above.
Thousands of tiny filaments called streamers merge and accelerate upward, forming the glowing plasma cone we call a Blue Jet.
Where and how often do they occur?
Blue Jets are typically found above powerful tropical thunderstorms and are rarely visible from the ground. They occur several times a year worldwide but are often hidden by thick storm clouds. Most confirmed observations come from pilots, satellites, and the International Space Station.
How did the ISS capture them?
The Atmosphere–Space Interactions Monitor (ASIM) aboard the ISS records lightning and other high-altitude events. In 2019, ASIM captured a Blue Jet event in unprecedented detail, showing five distinct blue beams shooting upward into the stratosphere. These data helped confirm how Blue Jets form and their exact altitude and color emission.
Blue Jets vs. Sprites & ELVES
Upper-atmospheric lightning phenomena are known as “Transient Luminous Events.” Here’s how Blue Jets differ from other types:
Sprites
Red, jellyfish-like glows high above storms (50–85 km), caused by powerful cloud-to-ground lightning strikes.
ELVES
Expanding rings of light at the ionosphere’s edge (~90 km), triggered by electromagnetic pulses from lightning.
Blue Jets are unique—they rise from thundercloud tops into the stratosphere as narrow, cone-shaped blue beams instead of expanding outward.
Glossary
Stratosphere: The atmospheric layer above where weather occurs; Blue Jets reach into this region.
Streamers: Fine electrical filaments that merge to create Blue Jets.
ASIM: Instrument on the ISS designed to study lightning from orbit.
Sprites / ELVES: Other transient luminous events above thunderstorms with different colors and shapes.
Further Reading & References
- ESA – Blue Jet observed from the ISS (ASIM Project)
- BigThink – NASA Captures Blue Jets and Red Sprites
- NASA Science – Blue Jets, Sprites, and ELVES
Note: All images in this article are AI-generated for educational illustration. Real imagery and verified scientific data can be found via the ESA and NASA links above.
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