We ’ve seen lightning from space before , but you ’ve credibly never find it like this .

An tool on a new atmospheric condition satellite has captured a arresting view of lightning over North America . The prison term - oversight video below shows about an hour of activity , as a string of storms move across the country .

It was taken by theGeostationary Lightning Mapper(GLM ) on NOAA ’s GOES-17 satellite , built by Lockheed Martin . The satellite was launched on March 1 , 2018 aboard an Atlas V rocket , and is now in a geostationary orbit 35,000 km ( 22,000 naut mi ) above the planet .

The pawn will be used to continuously track lightning from space , the first ever to do so . This will allow unexampled real - time data on storm from New Zealand to Canada , useful not only for scientist but for planes too .

“ The mapper observes lightning in the Western Hemisphere , giving forecasters an meter reading of when a storm is mold , compound and becoming more dangerous , ” NOAA said in astatement . “ speedy increases of lightning are a signal that a violent storm may strengthen quickly and could produce severe weather . ”

Here ’s another video of a view from the planet .

This is n’t the first GLM sent to infinite , with another being on theGOES-16 satellitewhich is posit above the East Coast of North America . But GOES-17 will be the first to track lightning over the West Coast and the Pacific .

The team received their “ first light ” from the GLM on GOES-17 back in April , stay up well into the nighttime to watch the moment the data was received back on Earth . you may check out their reaction to the moment in the video below .

AsPopular Sciencenotes , GOES-17 is currently in a testing position centered over the Western Hemisphere . Later this yr it ’ll be moved , so that it ’s positioned over the West Coast of North America , throw it its full scene to track storms over the Pacific .

In long - lived violent storm , lightning can journey hundred of mi before it hits the earth . So GLM will be able to show where the risk of lightning strike are great , which could be life-sustaining in dry areas in the western US that are at risk of wildfires .

“ When fuse with radio detection and ranging and other satellite data , GLM datum will assist forecasters previse stern conditions and issue flood and twinkle flood warnings sooner , ” said NOAA . “ Data from GLM will serve an crucial part in helping to keep American lives and property safe . ”