Lightning Strike in Brasilia, Brazil

Photographer: Rodrigo Andolfato
Summary Authors: Rodrigo Andolfato; Jim Foster

The photo above shows a muscular lightning bolt that crashed into Brazil's capital city, Brasilia. It was taken from the 12th-floor balcony of my apartment building. This cloud-to-ground strike nicely illuminates the shape of its cumulonimbus parent cloud. Note the anvil-like appearance, indicating that the top of the storm is bumping against the tropopause. Photo taken on January 18, 2013.

Photo Details: Camera: Canon EOS REBEL T2i; 18-55mm lens; Focal Length: 24mm; Aperture: f/4.5; Exposure Time: 3.200 s; ISO equiv: 200; Software: Microsoft Windows Live Photo Gallery 15.4.3555.308.   

• Brasília, Brazil Coordinates: -15.793889, -47.882778
• Related Links
  • Cloud-to-Ground and Cloud-to-Cloud Lightning
  • Lightning Safety
  • Brasilia Weather
  • Rodrigo's Website
• Student Links
  • NOVA: How Lightning Works
  • Lightning: Just for Kids
• Earth Observatory
  • Brasília at Night

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