Sprite-Halo with Feet
© Frankie Lucena
Sprite-Halo with Feet and a Red Sprite on September 28, 2020 @ Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico
Frankie Lucena of Puerto Rica has made a discovery. Some jellyfish have feet. Jellyfish sprites, that is. "On Sept. 28th, I photographed an outburst of upward directed lightning over the Caribbean," he says. "Their jellyfish forms included something unusual. I call them 'feet.'" Note the bright endpoints at the bottom of the sprite's dangling tendrils.

"This feature in a sprite event hasn't been documented yet," says Lucena, who has spent years documenting sprites and gigantic jets above electrical storms near Puerto Rico. "After checking my database I was only able to find three others that have this feature, so I compiled all four into a single image. My best guess is that the electrons were only able to propagate downward to a certain point and they accumulated there, causing the tips of the tendrils to brighten."

Sprite feet
© Frankie Lucena
Jellyfish with feet: Another reason to keep an eye on the tops of thunderstorms.