Bold claim: two of the sky’s most elusive electrical wonders appeared in one frame over Italy, challenging what most of us think is possible. And this is the part where it gets really intriguing.
A photographer has managed to capture not one, but two exceptionally rare lightning phenomena in a single shot. Italian photographer Valter Binotto photographed both an ELVE and a sprite in the same frame on November 28 near Possagno. He explains on Instagram that this is a rare “duo lineup of Sprite and ELVE.” The red tentacle-like form in the center is the Sprite, while the glowing red ring around them marks the ELVE.
Sprites and ELVEs are extraordinary phenomena in the upper atmosphere. Sprites are already unusual, but ELVEs are far rarer and far more expansive. Binotto describes how ELVEs arise when a particularly powerful lightning strike creates a strong electromagnetic impulse (EMP). The red ring in the image points to where that EMP struck the Earth’s ionosphere.
Because starlight is visible in the photograph, Binotto could estimate the ELVE’s size: about 85 kilometers (53 miles) tall and around 230 kilometers (143 miles) in diameter. He notes a playful comparison to the size of the iconic alien mothership from Independence Day, which is about 550 kilometers (342 miles) wide, suggesting the ELVE, while smaller, is still an impressive rival.
Binotto isn’t new to this spectacle. In 2023 he captured an even larger ELVE—measuring 359 kilometers (223 miles) across. He explains that ordinary cameras struggle with these events because the light they emit is faint and predominantly infrared, beyond the reach of standard sensors. To overcome this, he uses a camera without the usual infrared-cut filter, allowing infrared light to be recorded as well.
Timeliness matters: an ELVE’s visibility lasts only about one millisecond. Binotto must record video and push his gear to the limits—high ISO, a wide-open lens—while hoping to catch a Sprite at the same moment. The two phenomenon in question were sparked by a single lightning strike over the Adriatic Sea, roughly 350 kilometers (217 miles) from his vantage point. The nearby positive lightning exhibited a peak current of about 387 kiloamperes, roughly ten times stronger than typical lightning.
What are ELVEs exactly? They stand for Emissions of Light and Very Low-Frequency Perturbations due to Electromagnetic Pulse Sources, a rare form of Sprite. Sprites themselves are large-scale electrical discharges that occur high above thunderstorm activity. Scientists are still researching their exact mechanisms.
Binotto’s fascination began in 2017 after discovering images of ELVEs and sprites online, which inspired him to pursue his own photographic captures.
To explore more of Binotto’s work, you can visit his Facebook, Instagram, and official website linked in the original post.
Image credits: Valter Binotto. PetaPixel notes that affiliate links may apply to their articles.
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