Since lightning requires the electrical breakdown of gas it cannot exist in a visual form in the vacuum of space. Lightning has, however, been observed within the atmospheres of other planets, such as Venus and Jupiter.
Lightning on Jupiter is estimated to be 100 times as powerful as, but fifteen times less frequent than, that which occurs on Earth.
Lightning on Venus is still a controversial subject after decades of study. During the Soviet Venera and U.S. Pioneer missions of the 1970s and 80s, signals suggesting lightning may be present in the upper atmosphere were detected. However, recently the Cassini-Huygens mission fly-by of Venus detected no signs of lightning at all.
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