NASA astronaut Nichole Ayers captured a stunning photograph of one of nature’s most elusive phenomena from the International Space Station on July 3, 2025, initially believing she had documented a sprite, a rare form of atmospheric lightning, only to discover she had captured something even more extraordinary: a gigantic jet.
“Nichole Ayers caught a rare and spectacular form of a TLE from the International Space Station — a gigantic jet,” confirmed Dr. Burcu Kosar, Principal Investigator of NASA’s Spritacular project. The discovery represents one of the clearest views of this atmospheric phenomenon ever documented from space.
So, does anyone have an idea of where on Earth we’re looking at?
Anytime I look at images from the ISS, I try to identify cities, landmarks, or even a cardinal direction. I’m not very good at it…
https://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Gigantic_jet_photographed_by_Nichole_Ayers_on_the_International_Space_Station,_some_edits.jpg
I’m like 99% sure that were looking at the outside of Earth in the photo, but i can’t be entirely sure.
I think there’s too many clouds? Anyways if I were to guess, I’d say houston (because of all of the problems in my life rn).
If I’m thinking of the same thing, I believe these come from within the center of hurricanes.