Second UFO‑like Red Halo Over Italian Town Identified as Rare Atmospheric ELVE

A striking photograph captured on Nov. 17 shows an eerie, UFO‑like red halo hovering above Possagno, a small town in the foothills of the Italian Alps. Nature photographer Valter Binotto photographed this unusual ring of red light — the second similar image he has taken over the same town, the earlier one having been recorded in March 2023.

What you're seeing: an ELVE

These red rings are not spacecraft but a rare lightning‑related phenomenon known as ELVEs ("emission of light and very low‑frequency perturbations due to electromagnetic pulse sources"). ELVEs appear when an extremely powerful lightning strike launches an electromagnetic pulse (EMP) upward into the ionosphere, exciting nitrogen molecules and producing a brief red glow. The flashes last only about one millisecond (roughly 100 times faster than a typical blink), which is why they are so rarely seen with the naked eye.

"The red ring marks the spot where the EMP hit Earth's ionosphere," Binotto said.

Details of the Nov. 17 event

Binotto estimates the lightning bolt that produced the most recent EMP carried roughly 303 kiloamperes of current — between about 10 and 30 times stronger than an average thunderstorm discharge. Spaceweather.com reports the ELVE that Binotto photographed originated from a storm near Vernazza, roughly 185 miles (300 km) south of Possagno. The 2023 event was associated with a storm near Ancona, about 174 miles (280 km) southeast of the town.

Because ELVEs occur high in the atmosphere and can span hundreds of miles, they can be photographed from great distances. Spaceweather.com estimates the Nov. 17 halo spanned roughly 125 miles (200 km) across and appeared near an altitude of about 60 miles (100 km).

How unusual is this—and why Possagno?

ELVEs were discovered relatively recently, in the 1990s, from photographs taken during space shuttle missions, and they remain uncommon sightings. The repeated captures over Possagno do not indicate any special local cause; rather, they reflect Binotto's skill, his equipment, and the wide area from which a single ELVE can be photographed. In short: coincidence plus expertise, not a local anomaly.

Scientific significance and safety

ELVEs belong to a broader group of rare upper‑atmosphere phenomena called transient luminous events (TLEs). Other TLEs include red "jellyfish" sprites and upward‑shooting "gigantic jets." The transient electric fields associated with ELVEs can accelerate particles and produce secondary emissions such as X‑rays, relativistic electrons and brief terrestrial gamma‑ray flashes (TGFs). According to the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, these secondary effects do not pose a risk to people on the ground, but they are of interest to scientists studying high‑energy atmospheric physics.

It is not yet known whether the ELVEs captured by Binotto produced measurable secondary emissions in these instances.