Although exactly why and how lightning occurs is a little contentious, it is generally agreed that lightning happens between the downdrafts and updrafts of thunderstorms. Lighter panicles move upwards to the top of the cloud and become positively charged, while bulkier ones descend towards the bottom of the cloud and become negatively charged. When this differential build-up of charge grows large enough, lightning is released between these regions. In reality, most of the lightning takes place within the cloud, but some bolts do find their way out and descend to the ground, which can cause fires, injuries, and general mayhem. Lightning is not only bright, but also VERY HOT. The temperature of lightning is a whopping 27,000 degrees Celsius. To put that in perspective, that temperature is nearly 5 times hotter than the surface of the Sun! When lightning strikes, it often burns the surrounding air due to its extreme temperatures. Lightning can also carry over a billion joules of energy. As electrical power is equal to energy per unit time, the power that it exudes is also humongous. A high amount of energy is deposited in just a fraction of a second.