Archive · 29 Nov 2025
Rare Red Halo ELVEs Seen Again Over Italian Town
A rare red halo, called ELVEs, was seen again over a small town in Italy.
This glowing ring is very big and high up in the sky.
It happens when super strong lightning sends a special kind of energy into the air.
This energy makes nitrogen particles glow red.
The first time it was seen in this town was two years ago.
Scientists say it's very rare to see this twice in the same place.
The latest one came from a storm far away, about 280 kilometres from the town.
The one before that came from even farther, about 300 kilometres away.
It's like a special light show in the sky!
A rare red halo phenomenon called ELVEs was seen again over Possagno, Italy on November 17, 2025.
The halo measured approximately 200 kilometres across and was around 100 kilometres above the ground.
Photographer Valter Binotto captured the phenomenon in both 2023 and 2025 using a Sony A7S camera.
ELVEs are caused by powerful lightning bolts creating electromagnetic pulses that excite nitrogen particles in the ionosphere.
The latest ELVEs originated from a storm above Ancona, 280 kilometres away, while the 2023 phenomenon originated 300 kilometres away in Vernazza.
- Who
- Residents and photographer Valter Binotto of Possagno, Italy
- What
- Rare red halo phenomenon known as ELVEs
- When
- November 17, 2025 (and previously in 2023)
- Where
- Above Possagno, Italy, originating from storms in Ancona and Vernazza
- Why
- Caused by powerful lightning bolts creating electromagnetic pulses that excite nitrogen particles in the ionosphere
- Location
- Possagno, Italy
- Date
- November 17, 2025
- Size
- 200 kilometres across
- Altitude
- 100 kilometres above the ground
- Phenomenon
- ELVEs (Emission of Light and Very Low–frequency Perturbations due to Electromagnetic Pulse Sources)
- Cause
- Electromagnetic pulse from powerful lightning
- First Recorded by NASA
- 1990
- Photographer
- Valter Binotto
- Camera Used
- Sony A7S with a 20 mm f/1.8 lens at ISO 51,200
- Lightning Current
- -303 kilo-ampères
Sources
200km rare red halo seen over small Italian town for a second time. It was ELVEs
Mysterious Red Halo Spotted Over Italian Town For Second Time In 3 Years
Italian skies glow red again - UFO in sight? Photographer spots rare halo for second time in 3 years
