It is science, not aliens

Dreamy atmosphere: A screencap of a recent viral video which shows the sky turning purple over Johor Baru.

Purple sky over Johor Baru a lightning effect, says expert

JOHOR BARU: If you looked up to the sky here last Saturday evening you might have briefly thought Thanos was about to snap his fingers or that aliens had chosen Johor as their landing spot. You were not alone.

Social media was abuzz with photos and videos as the sky over Johor Baru city transformed into a dramatic shade of purple during a thunderstorm.

Some online users joked about portals to other dimensions, while others speculated that it was a sign of the apocalypse.

However, a professor assures us there’s no cause for alarm – it was simply atmospheric optics at work.

Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) Water and Environmental Engineering Department, Faculty of Civil Engineering senior lecturer Dr Norelyza Hussein said the striking purple hue was the result of lightning interacting with moisture, dust and cloud cover – which is potent during sunrise or sunset.

“The lightning mixes with red and blue tones in the sky, and under the right conditions, it produces that beautiful purple shade,” she said when contacted.

Norelyza said Johor Baru’s high humidity and dense monsoon cloud cover made it a prime canvas for this rare spectacle.

She said timing plays a role, where if a storm occurred near sunset, the combination of moisture, light and cloud density would make the purple effect more visible.

“Airborne particles like dust, haze, and pollution scatter light in different ways. These particles can intensify or shift the colour of the sky during lightning activity, contributing to the purple appearance,” she said.

Norelyza also said that the purple lightning that appeared during the thunderstorm recently was no different from other kinds of lightning – a mere visual effect.

“The lightning itself remains the same, where it is the way the light interacts with the atmosphere that causes the colour to appear purple.

“There are no health risks from the colour itself.

“However, lightning and storms are dangerous, and people should stay indoors, avoid open fields and take standard safety precautions during any thunderstorms.”

Norelyza said the purple night sky does not necessarily mean it was a signal for extreme weather or climate anomalies.

“Purple skies do not signal danger on their own, but more frequent, intense thunderstorms – possibly linked to climate change – can increase the chance of observing rare sky phenomena like the one many saw recently.

“While it may look unusual, it is fully explainable by science. It is a natural optical phenomenon, similar to rainbows or red sunsets, and there is no need for alarm.”

Norelyza said that there was a possibility that the purple night sky could appear more frequently in the country.

“With weather patterns becoming more extreme due to climate change, we might see more unusual visual phenomena, like vivid lightning colours or dramatic cloud formations, in tropical regions like Malaysia,” she added. - Star