Rare Phenomenon Caught on Camera Over France in Night Sky Video

• A photographer in Calvi, France, captured rare red sprites lighting up the night sky in a video shared by AccuWeather
• The glowing crimson electrical discharges appear in the mesosphere between 50 and 90 kilometres above thunderstorm clouds
• The footage left viewers stunned, with thousands flooding the comments with questions, wonder and disbelief

A photographer in Calvi, France, caught something most people will never witness with their own eyes. The footage, credited to Instagram's @florian.riou, showed a clear, star-filled sky suddenly interrupted by vivid crimson flashes. AccuWeather shared the clip on TikTok on 12 October 2026, and it has since drawn thousands of reactions from stunned viewers.

What looks like something out of a science fiction film is actually a natural atmospheric event known as red sprites. These are large-scale electrical discharges that occur high in the Earth's mesosphere, typically between 50 and 90 kilometres above severe thunderstorm clouds. The footage shows bright red centres with darker, vine-like tendrils branching outward, creating an appearance that many viewers compared to the human nervous system or the root network of a giant tree.

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What are red sprites?

Red sprites belong to a family of phenomena called Transient Luminous Events, which also includes blue jets and ELVES. They are triggered by powerful positive cloud-to-ground lightning strikes that temporarily disrupt the electric field in the upper atmosphere. Nitrogen molecules in the thin upper air then get excited by the discharge and emit that distinctive reddish-orange glow.

Despite being a natural occurrence, they are extremely difficult to spot. Each flash lasts only a few milliseconds, making them nearly impossible to observe naturally. Although pilots reported unexplained red flashes for decades, scientists did not officially photograph a red sprite until 1989. Citizen science initiatives such as NASA's Spritacular project continue to track and document these events today.

Watch the footage that left thousands speechless:

Viewers react to the sight

The comments section on @accuweather's TikTok lit up with awe, humour and a few nervous jokes:

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@Soul King wrote:

"I can understand better now how ancient civilisations freaked out and decided sacrifices were necessary."

@smorgbrot said:

"Is her galaxy calling her back?"

@🥀Mandy🥀 reacted:

"Reminded me of the human nervous system."

@Mahaa Saeed-Ingrao shared:

"What in the upside down."

@Agu A noted:

"And we wonder why ancient people invented religions."

@jjordannn.marie asked:

"Hey, so what is this and how long left for us to live?"

@MetalliKai offered some calm:

"They are real! They are called red sprites and usually happen above thunderstorms."

More on weather in South Africa

• Briefly News recently reported on severe storms hitting KwaZulu-Natal while other provinces braced for warm to hot conditions, with Mbombela possibly reaching 39°C.
• SAWS upgraded the KwaZulu-Natal storm warning to Yellow Level 4 for severe thunderstorms, with hail, lightning and winds of up to 83 km/h expected.
• A damaging wave warning was issued for the KwaZulu-Natal coast while Cape Town prepared for three days of slight rain.

Source: Briefly News