Hadley cell - A thermally driven air circulation in tropical and subtropical latitudes of both hemispheres. The Hadley cell resembles a huge convective cell with rising air near the equator and sinking air in the subtropical latitudes. This concept was first introduced by George Hadley in 1735.

Dry Thunderstorm - Generally a high-based thunderstorm where lightning is observed, but little if any precipitation reaches the ground. Most of the rain produced by the thunderstorm evaporates into relatively dry air located beneath the storm cell. Dry thunderstorms are notorious for starting wildfires.

Zodiacal Light - A softly luminous cone of white light visible from an hour or so after sunset or before dawn. The cause of this pre-dawn or post-dusk light is created by sunlight that reflects off of grains of dust in space between the Earth and the Sun. To an unknowing observer it can be mistaken for a glare of city lights on the distant horizon.

Sprites - An upper-level atmospheric electrical discharge, usually reddish-orange in color, that occur high above thunderstorms. They are most commonly seen above powerful cloud to ground lightning strikes and last for only a few milliseconds. The first color image of a sprite was taken over a thunderstorm in Oklahoma back in July of 1994.

Cloud - Any visible mass of water droplets, ice crystals, or a mix of both that become suspended in the atmosphere. Fog is a cloud that forms at the ground, while cirrus clouds oftentimes form at around 40,000 feet.

Scintillation - The apparent twinkling of a star due to its light passing through regions of differing air densities in the atmosphere. This results in the light being refracted and scattered before it reaches the viewer.

Blue Jet - An upper-level atmospheric electrical discharge, usually blue or bluish-white in color, that occur high above thunderstorms. Similar to sprites. This phenomenon is believed to connect the tops of thunderstorms with the ionosphere.