Archive · 29 Nov 2025
Red Halo Over Italian Town Linked to Rare Lightning Phenomenon
A small town in northern Italy called Possagno saw a strange red ring in the sky on November 17.
This isn't the first time this has happened.
Scientists say it's caused by a very strong lightning bolt that sends out special pulses.
These pulses hit a part of the sky called the ionosphere and make nitrogen there glow red.
A photographer named Valter Binotto took pictures of this rare event.
He was actually trying to photograph something else called sprites, but he got this even rarer phenomenon instead.
The lightning bolt that caused this was much stronger than usual.
The town is getting some attention because of these cool pictures.
A red halo-like ring was observed above Possagno, northern Italy, on November 17, around 10:45 PM local time.
This phenomenon, known as an ELVE, is caused by powerful lightning bolts emitting electromagnetic pulses that excite nitrogen molecules in the ionosphere.
Photographer Valter Binotto captured the event using a Sony A7S camera with a 20 mm f/1.8 lens at ISO 51,200, recording at 25 frames per second.
The lightning bolt responsible for the ELVE was around 303 kilo-amperes, significantly more powerful than average thunderstorm discharges.
This is the second time such a phenomenon has been observed in Possagno, with a similar event captured in March 2023.
- Who
- Residents of Possagno, northern Italy, and photographer Valter Binotto
- What
- A red halo-like ring in the sky, identified as an ELVE (Emission of Light and Very Low-Frequency Perturbations due to Electromagnetic Pulse Sources)
- When
- November 17, around 10:45 PM local time
- Where
- Possagno, a small town in northern Italy
- Why
- Caused by a powerful lightning bolt emitting electromagnetic pulses that excite nitrogen molecules in the ionosphere, resulting in red light
- Location
- Possagno, northern Italy
- Date
- November 17
- Time
- 10:45 PM local time
- Photographer
- Valter Binotto
- Phenomenon
- ELVE (Emission of Light and Very Low-Frequency Perturbations due to Electromagnetic Pulse Sources)
- Lightning Bolt Power
- 303 kilo-amperes
- Camera Used
- Sony A7S with a 20 mm f/1.8 lens at ISO 51,200
- Frame Rate
- 25 frames per second