A breathtaking video capturing rare red sprites lighting up the upper atmosphere over Tibet's Xizang region has gone viral on social media, leaving viewers fascinated by one of nature's most elusive phenomena. The footage was recorded by Chinese astrophotographer Dong Shuchang in the early hours of May 26, 2026, near Lake Puma Yumco in Shannan at an altitude of more than 5,000 metre above sea level.
The viral post
Red sprites are a type of Transient Luminous Event (TLE), producing brief but spectacular flashes of light high above intense thunderstorms. The viral footage shows multiple bright red flashes erupting above storm clouds during a powerful thunderstorm.
"In the early hours of May 26, 2026, I captured a spectacular display of red sprite lightning by the shores of Lake Puma Yumco in Shannan, Xizang, at an altitude of over 5,000 meters above sea level," Dong captioned the video.
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Describing the event as a "red sprite outbreak," Dong revealed that he also photographed the exceptionally rare Ghost sprites, which are accompanied by a green glow.
"During this massive red sprite outbreak, I photographed numerous extremely rare Ghost sprites, the green glow generated when oxygen molecules are excited by the most powerful red sprites. It's neither AI-generated nor edited with special effects, yet it looks so surreal," said Dong.
"This is the clearest and largest sprite lightning I have captured in four years. Hope you enjoy it," he added.
Atmospheric sprites can appear in a variety of shapes, including columns, carrots, branching tendrils, and jellyfish-like structures. The towering red pillars seen in the footage are among the most striking forms documented.
The Internet's reaction
The video quickly gained traction online, with users expressing awe at the rare spectacle. One user said, "I like how it excited the oxygen molecules in the upper atmosphere and gave us a mini aurora”. Another commented, "I am 44 years old and just finding out about this. Simply breathtaking."
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A third user recalled a personal encounter, writing, "I've seen red sprites only once in my life. It was breathtaking. I was driving at night, coming down the mountain with my kids asleep in their car seats and just like that, over the ridge I saw a flash of them. I feel so blessed to witness them."
A fourth remarked, "Imagine you see this 1000 years ago and can't explain what chemical reaction is happening, that's some demon story right there."
