At first glance at this photo, you’d be forgiven for mistaking it as a firework display in the night sky.
But the ‘ fireworks ’ in the image are actually red sprites - large but weak flashes of light that appear directly above an active thunderstorm system.
The stunning photo was snapped by photographer Stephane Vetter, and has been featured as NASA ’s Astronomy Picture of the Day.
NASA explained: “A sensitive video camera on a summit of the Vosges mountains in France captured these surprising fireworks above a distant horizon on June 26.
“Generated over intense thunderstorms, this one about 260 kilometers away, the brief and mysterious flashes have come to be known as red sprites.
“The transient luminous events are caused by electrical breakdown at altitudes of 50 to 100 kilometers.
"That puts them in the mesophere, the coldest layer of planet Earth's atmosphere.”
While the red sprites are the main feature of the photo, you’ll also notice some mysterious silvery veins of light on the right of the image.
NASA explained: “On the right, the video frames have captured another summertime apparition from the mesophere.
“The silvery veins of light are polar mesospheric clouds. Also known as noctilucent or night shining clouds, the icy clouds still reflect the sunlight when the Sun is below the horizon.”
This isn't the first time that NASA has featured a photo of red sprites as its Astronomy Picture of the Day.
Last year, NASA revealed a stunning HD photo of a rare red sprite, showing the lightning in unbelievable detail.
