On New Year's Eve, vibrant auroras were visible in various regions across Europe, including Braunschweig and the Bavarian Alps. Users of the 'My Aurora Forecast' app and the social media platform X reported multiple sightings despite predominantly cloudy skies.
The KP index, which measures geomagnetic activity, reached a level of 8 in northern Germany around 7 PM, indicating significant geomagnetic disturbances. This surge is attributed to a geomagnetic storm that originated from the Sun and is currently impacting Earth.
Notable sightings occurred in Braunschweig, Wolfsburg, and Wolfenbüttel, with additional reports from Berlin and Hamburg. The geomagnetic activity was so intense that auroras were also visible in Austria.