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A stunning photograph of a glowing red ring in the night sky above Possagno, a small Alpine town in northern Italy, has gone viral after social media users compared it to scenes from Stranger Things and speculated about UFOs and alien activity. The image, captured on November 17 by nature photographer ValterBinotto, shows a massive, perfectly circular red halo hovering above the clouds, an otherworldly sight that immediately set the internet buzzing.

This is the second time in three years that this kind of phenomenon has appeared over Possagno. Binotto had captured a similar red ring back in March 2023, from the same location. According to his latest observations, the halo stretched nearly 200 kilometres across and seemed to float 100 kilometres above the town. 

But scientists, not to mention Binotto himself, insist the explanation is far less extraterrestrial and far more atmospheric.

What The Red Halo Really Is

The light display has come to be called an ELVE-an acronym for Emission of Light and Very Low-Frequency Perturbations due to Electromagnetic Pulse Sources. ELVEs appear high above the ionosphere from strong lightning strikes that produce a powerful electromagnetic pulse.

These pulses expand outward in a giant, pancake-shaped ring, creating a flash of red light that can span hundreds of kilometres, but lasts for only one millisecond. Because they appear and disappear faster than a blink, ELVEs are almost impossible to spot with the naked eye. They’re usually detected only through high-speed cameras or specialised instruments attached to lightning observation systems.

Spaceweather.com confirmed that the latest red ring over Possagno was generated during an intense thunderstorm active that night. Binotto, who specialises in photographing rare atmospheric events, managed to capture the moment thanks to advanced camera gear and remarkable timing.

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Why People Mistake ELVEs For UFOs

ELVEs are so rare and short-lived that even experienced sky watchers often miss them. Their enormous size and sudden appearance, combined with their eerie red glow, make them easy targets for misunderstanding.

When the latest photograph began circulating online, many compared it to the Upside Down portal from Stranger Things. Others claimed it was proof of extraterrestrial activity. But experts emphasise that ELVEs are a well-documented part of upper-atmospheric physics, first observed by scientists in 1990. 

As Binotto’s image spread across social media, reactions ranged from awe to amusement. Some users praised the photographer’s timing and skill. Others doubled down on alien theories or shared anecdotes of seeing similar flashes during storms.

Binotto clarified that the halo was not a UFO but one of nature’s rarest and most spectacular electrical displays. “It’s a unique atmospheric phenomenon,” he wrote, underscoring that the beauty of the moment lay not in fantasy, but in science.

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