We are accustomed to the fact that usually lightning strikes from thunderclouds to the Earth. But this is not always the case. Some time ago, scientists observing the sky at the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico noticed that lightning, escaping from a cloud, rushed into space.
This trajectory has puzzled researchers. After all, electrical discharges occur in the sky when, during the formation of thunderclouds, a negative charge accumulates at the bottom of the cloud. When the amount of stored energy exceeds a certain threshold, lightning is released and moves towards the Earth.
However, the mechanism of the formation and propagation of lightning is still poorly understood, but there are several theories. According to scientists, strong gusts of wind sometimes literally "push" positively charged particles out of the air, allowing the negative charge to break free. After that, a "reverse lightning" occurs, which is called a giant jet. Its height can reach the lower boundary of the ionosphere - from 40 to 70 km.
Climatologists most often observe giant jets in the tropics, possibly because of the frequent and strong gusts of wind in this region. Typically, the discharge is held in the air for only 1-2 seconds. So filming it on camera is considered a great success.