Last week, a mysterious “Ring of Red-Light Flashes”appeared in the sky above Central Italy, leaving many to wonder if it was a UFO. The phenomenon lasted for only milliseconds, but nature photographer Valter Binotto managed to capture a shot of the luminous halo, called ELVE, in the sky above the town of Possagno in northern Italy on March 27.

What Is ELVE?

ELVE is an abbreviation for “emission of light and very low-frequency perturbations due to electromagnetic pulse sources.” It is a rare type of stratospheric/mesospheric perturbation resulting from intense thunderstorm electrification. The red rings are created when electromagnetic pulses (EMPs) given off by lightning hit Earth’s ionosphere, the ionized part of the upper atmosphere that stretches between 50 and 400 miles above the ground.

According to Spaceweather.com, ELVEs were discovered only in 1990, and due to their short-lived nature, they are normally visible only to satellites orbiting Earth. Binotto’s new image is likely “the best ever picture of one from the ground,” according to Spaceweather.com.

Photographer Binotto believes that the ELVE was produced by an EMP generated from a large thunderstorm near Ancona, a city around 174 miles southeast of Possagno. The massive circle was around 360 kilometers in diameter and blinked above central Italy and part of the Adriatic Sea.

Although the ELVE may have looked like a UFO to some, it was simply a natural phenomenon caused by the interaction between lightning and Earth’s upper atmosphere. This interaction is still not fully understood by scientists, and ELVEs remain a rare sight for those lucky enough to see them.

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The discovery of ELVEs has opened up a new field of study for atmospheric scientists, who are working to better understand how lightning and thunderstorms affect Earth’s upper atmosphere. The interaction between lightning and the ionosphere can have a significant impact on radio communication and GPS navigation, making it important to understand this phenomenon.

Scientists are also studying the impact of thunderstorms on the atmosphere and climate, as lightning produces large amounts of nitrogen oxides that can react with other chemicals in the atmosphere to form ozone. Ozone is a powerful greenhouse gas that can contribute to climate change, and scientists are working to better understand the role of thunderstorms in the global climate system.

As for photographer Valter Binotto, he was simply in the right place at the right time to capture this rare and fascinating phenomenon. His stunning photograph has captured the attention of people around the world, inspiring awe and wonder at the beauty and mystery of the natural world.