Source: http://gizmodo.com/how-a-mysterious-sky-phenomenon-was-explained-by-high-s-880432593
They stretch 50 miles into Earth's upper atmosphere. They shower the night sky with shimmering bursts of light. They emit a crackling "ping" over radio. And because they're so fast, scientists have only known about them for a few decades. Today, Wired Science introduces us to the world of Transient Luminous Events—and the Sante Fe astronomer who has pioneered the art of photographing them.