Imagine a massive, glowing red ring hovering silently in the sky, visible for hundreds of kilometers. Sounds like something out of a sci-fi movie, right? But this isn't fiction—it's happening in real life. For the second time in three years, a small Italian town nestled in the Alpine foothills has become the stage for this breathtaking phenomenon. On November 17th, around 10:45 local time, nature photographer Valter Binotto captured the eerie sight, leaving many to wonder: What on Earth is causing this?
The glowing halo, spanning an estimated 200 kilometers and hovering at an altitude of 100 kilometers, bears a striking resemblance to a similar event Binotto documented in March 2023—both occurring in the same spot, the quaint town of Possagno, home to just 2,200 residents. And this is the part most people miss: It’s not aliens. Despite its UFO-like appearance, the phenomenon is actually a rare atmospheric event called an ELVE (Emission of Light and Very Low-Frequency Perturbations due to Electromagnetic Pulse Sources).
ELVEs are essentially expanding rings of light that form in the lower ionosphere, triggered by the electromagnetic pulse (EMP) from lightning strikes during powerful thunderstorms. These events are incredibly fleeting, lasting just a millisecond, which makes them both mesmerizing and challenging to study without advanced technology. But here's where it gets controversial: While scientists agree on the cause, the sheer rarity of spotting two ELVEs in the same location within three years has sparked debates about whether there’s more to the story.
According to Binotto, the EMP responsible for the recent halo was unleashed by a lightning bolt with an electrical current of approximately 303 kilo-amperes—10 to 30 times stronger than an average thunderstorm discharge. “The red ring marks the spot where the EMP hit Earth’s ionosphere,” Binotto explained to Spaceweather.com.
These glowing rings, first discovered by NASA in the 1990s, are classified as Transient Luminous Events (TLEs)—colorful, lightning-fast flashes generated by thunderstorms above the clouds. TLEs come in various shapes and sizes, each with its own whimsical name. On Earth, ELVEs appear reddish due to their interaction with nitrogen in the upper atmosphere. Interestingly, on planets like Jupiter, where hydrogen dominates the atmosphere, these events glow blue or pink. In 2019, scientists using data from Juno’s ultraviolet spectrograph instrument confirmed the presence of TLEs in Jupiter’s upper atmosphere for the first time, validating decades of theoretical predictions.
Here’s the thought-provoking question: With ELVEs being so rare, is it just a coincidence that Possagno has witnessed two in such a short time, or could there be something unique about this location? Let us know what you think in the comments—is this simply a fascinating quirk of nature, or is there more to uncover?
