What is what color is lightning?

The color of lightning is a fascinating topic and depends on various factors, primarily the conditions of the atmosphere and the observer's perspective. While often depicted as white or blue, lightning can appear in a spectrum of colors.

• White: This is the most common color, appearing when the air is dry and there are no significant particles like dust or water droplets present. The bright flash overwhelms the eye, making it appear white.

• Blue: Occurs when there's a high concentration of water droplets or hail in the air. These particles scatter the other colors of the spectrum, allowing the blue to become more visible.

• Yellow: Can be seen when dust is present in the atmosphere. The dust particles absorb and scatter blue light, leaving the yellow wavelengths to dominate.

• Red/Orange: This occurs when lightning strikes are viewed through a significant amount of atmosphere, such as during sunset or at a distance. Similar to how sunsets appear red, the atmosphere scatters away blue light, leaving the red and orange wavelengths.

• Purple/Violet: Occasionally observed during cloud-to-cloud lightning, this can result from a combination of factors, including specific atmospheric conditions and the intensity of the electrical discharge.

The appearance of lightning color also varies greatly depending on the observer. The perceived color can be affected by the observer's distance from the lightning, their eyesight, and any obstructions in their line of sight.

Here are the subjects as links:

• White
• Blue
• Yellow
• Red/Orange
• Purple/Violet