less than a second

A lightning strike usually lasts less than a second.

of a second

Lightning strikes, lasting less than a half-millionth of a second, often scorch the skin but don't cause internal burns.

100-200ms

Lightning strikes last 100-200ms, so you can actually get some of the strike in frame while the shutter is open.

a few milliseconds

That's the answer; lightning only lasts a few milliseconds, but your camera takes longer than that to scan the whole image, so in some frames the sky is only half-illuminated.

up to 2 seconds

“A lightning strike made up of several discharges can last up to 2 seconds.

up to nine hours

Here, lightning occurs up to 300 nights a year, lasting up to nine hours with a rate of 250 lightning flashes per square kilometer — earning square kilometer's spot in the Guinness Book of World Records.

of 1-2 microseconds

Lightning strikes have an average lifespan of 1-2 microseconds.