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Mysterious Red Halo Baffles Italian Town
27 Nov, 2025
Summary
- A rare red halo appeared over Possagno, Italy.
- The phenomenon is likely a rare lighting event called ELVEs.
- This is the second sighting of such a halo in three years.
A perplexing red halo, described as UFO-like, has materialized over the Italian town of Possagno for the second time in three years, leaving scientists puzzled. This extraordinary spectacle was captured by photographer Valter Binotto, who witnessed the glowing ring, estimated to be 150 miles across, at an altitude of about 60 miles.
Scientists theorize that the halo is a rare atmospheric event called an ELVE, triggered by powerful lightning strikes that send electromagnetic pulses into the upper atmosphere. These pulses interact with the ionosphere, exciting nitrogen particles and creating the observed red glow, a process similar to the aurora borealis.
Despite ELVEs lasting only a thousandth of a second, making them exceptionally difficult to photograph, Binotto has managed to capture three instances. He noted that the previous sighting in March 2023 was linked to a lightning strike nearly 200 miles away, indicating these large phenomena can originate far from their observation point.
