Taitung cameraman captures rare astronomical phenomenon on camera
Taitung cameraman captures rare astronomical phenomenon on camera
2026-09-14
On Sunday, surveillance cameras at the Taitung National Park Administration captured a rare astronomical phenomenon, a massive red jet shooting up into the sky. This is known as an upward discharge, which typically connects at the top of the thunderstorm as electrical charges are released into the upper atmosphere. Although it lasts only a few milliseconds and is a rare occurrence, it was caught on camera.
The gigantic red jet shoots across the night sky, resembling fireworks. Although it was just a flash, it was caught on camera in Taitung.
Chen Hung-tsung
Taitung County Councilor
It looked like someone set off fireworks. All of a sudden, there was an incredibly bright light. It looked like a red umbrella. Seeing this in an open space is a strange thing. We were all quite puzzled.
Member of public
Witnessed the Gigantic Jet
It was very strange. I am not sure why it happened. It just suddenly appeared and turned red. I thought something was falling from the sky.
This beautiful astronomical phenomenon is a rare upward lightning discharge. It lasts only a few milliseconds and is only visible from hundreds of kilometers away from a thunderstorm.
Voice of Tsai Yu-ming
Taipei Astronomical and Meteorological Station
This brief phenomenon in the upper atmosphere is likely a “gigantic jet.” Intense convection within the cumulonimbus clouds creates an electrical charge that is discharged upwards. This discharge channel can extend as high as 70 to 90 km, and results in high-energy electrons colliding with nitrogen molecules, causing them to emit red light.
This is a rare phenomenon that is difficult to see, so capturing it on surveillance footage is truly incredible.
#giganticjet #redlightning #taitung #nightsky #astronomy
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"向上放電"罕見天文奇景 台東鏡頭君拍下紅色巨大噴流
2026-09-14
台東東管處的監視器週日記錄下，罕見的天文現象，一道紅色巨大噴流，向高空噴射，彷彿煙火，其實這稱為向上放電現象，通常發生在強烈雷暴系統的頂層，電荷向高空釋放，不過，只持續幾毫秒，觀測不易，卻被鏡頭錄下，十分難得。
紅色巨大噴流，劃破黑夜天空，有的像煙火在高空綻放，雖然一閃而過，卻被台東的鏡頭記錄下來。
[[台東縣議員 陳宏宗]]
“很像人家在放煙火，臨時怎麼有那個光線這麼亮，又很像一隻雨傘，紅色雨傘跑出來，這個很空曠的地方，怎麼有有這麼奇怪的事情?我們都覺得很納悶。”
[[民眾]]
“感覺很奇特，不知道為什麼會發生這樣子，就突然竄下來就變成紅色的。感覺就像有什麼東西從天上掉下來。”
美麗的天文景象，是罕見的向上放電現象，持續時間很短，只有幾毫秒，觀測者要距離雷雨區，數百公里外，才能看得到
[[聲源: 台北天文氣象站主任 蔡禹明]]
“高空短暫的發光現象，那原因應該是這個屬於巨大噴流。強烈的積雨雲對流，它的頂部有這個電荷，直接向高空釋放，那這個放電通道是可以一路延伸到七十到九十公里，那這個高能的電子撞擊到氮分子之後，會激發出紅色的光。”
罕見現象，觀測又不容易，被監視器拍下，相當難得。
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