Rare Red Sprites: Stunning Night Sky Captured Above Arizona

A photographer leading a storm photo tour in Arizona captured rare red lightning sprites in the night sky above Mount Lemmon. Sprites are upper atmospheric discharges from lightning that occur about 50 miles above thunderstorms. The photographer and his group were able to capture these elusive phenomena after spotting a storm in Mexico on radar. The photographer used a Nikon Z6 and a 50mm lens, and the best conditions to see and photograph sprites are dark nights with clear skies and a distant storm.