U.S. astronaut Nichole "Vapor" Ayers captured a spectacular view of a phenomenon known as a "sprite" blazing to life above an intense thunderstorm — and she did this while orbiting 250 miles (400 kilometers) above Earth aboard the International Space Station (ISS).

Sprites “are transient luminous events” that “are triggered by intense electrical activity in the thunderstorms,” astronaut Nichole Ayers said

In early July 2025, an extraordinary event in Earth’s upper atmosphere was photographed by astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS). This rare occurrence, which unfolded about 400 kilometers above the planet’s surface,