One of the most electrifying experiences in visual observing is catching sight of something you don’t expect — and also can’t explain.
Many of us are familiar with unexpected events, like an exploding meteor or a vivid aurora. Although we cannot predict these events precisely, we can maximize our chances of seeing one by looking skyward when, say, there’s a meteor shower or solar storm. In time, constant vigilance will reward our efforts.
But what of the unexplained? Ah, here we have an uncommon beast that can lead to nights of research, speculation, and, in the end, head scratching. This happened to me the night of November 1, 2016.
A plasma flow?
In northern Botswana, November usually ushers in the rains, leading to a high probability of dramatic thunder and lightning storms over this country in southern Africa. These powerful events march across the flat and spartan landscape, tossing brilliant bolts and creating rolling waves of guttural thunder. Such conditions — when the storms are well in the distance and stars are visible in clear skies above the distant thunderheads — are excellent for observing sprites.