Red Sprites: A Rare Atmospheric Phenomenon

In cooperation with the Embassy of Canada to Austria
Address of welcome: Ambassador Dr. John Barrett, Canadian Embassy in Vienna

Red sprites are upper atmospheric optical phenomenon associated with thunderstorms that have recently been only documented using low level television. The first images of a sprite were taken in 1989 and from 1990 to 1994 the space shuttle obtained twenty more images. Despite nearly a century of anecdotal reports from airline pilots, most scientists didn't really believe in sprites until the first images were captured on high-speed video. The blink of an eye last 250 milliseconds: sprites often last only ten. Cameras and computer models freeze sprites in time. Red Sprites were considered UFOs by pilots before their discovery.
Peter McLeish will discuss the nature of his collaboration based on Red Sprites.

Participants receive free admission to the museum and to the presentation!