Blue blobs hover over Earth in Nasa photos but there’s a scientific explanation

NASA has revealed mind-blowing images of bizarre blue blobs floating over Earth.

The scenes may look like something out of science fiction but there are two phenomena that can explain the strange images.

1

Nasa’s Earth Observatory re-posted the images after they were taken last year.

It previously explained: “An astronaut onboard the International Space Station (ISS) took this photograph while orbiting over Southeast Asia and looking toward Earth’s limb.”

One blob can be seen at the bottom center of the image and one can be seen to the right.

The big alien-like blob in the center is actually lightning.

The one to the right is the Moon.

Lightning strikes are usually hard to see from the ISS but this huge one occurred through a perfectly timed gap in the clouds.

The surrounding clouds were lit up by the lightning and the strange looking blue blob was formed.

A trick of light also helps the Moon to look like an odd blue blob in the image.

According to Live Science, the position of the Moon in relation to the ISS means it is observed as sunlight is reflecting onto it through Earth’s atmosphere.

This can turn the Moon into a fuzzy blue blob for astronaut spectators.

Another striking feature in the image is the lit-up cities in Thailand.

The orange glow around Earth shows the curving atmosphere.