For at least the second time this year, skygazers across the globe were treated to vibrant auroras at latitudes beyond their usual polar confines, thanks to a gigantic ball of plasma and its magnetic field erupting from the Sun.
This event, known as a coronal mass ejection (CME), arrived at Earth around 1600 GMT on Thursday, igniting a strong geomagnetic storm that produced stunning displays of the northern and southern lights—aurora borealis and aurora australis—in regions including Europe, the United States, and Australia.
Professor Wild from Lancaster University described the atmosphere during the aurora sightings as festive, with many people gathering in parks and backroads to enjoy the celestial show. He noted that this phenomenon is a part of his research on how solar weather affects Earth's systems.
According to Juha-Pekka Luntama, head of the European Space Agency's Space Weather Office, the CME was a 'perfect hit' as it originated from a solar spot directed at Earth, causing a severe geomagnetic storm rated G4. This event was just shy of the highest G5 level seen earlier this year.
As solar activity approaches its 11-year peak, such storms pose risks to satellites, GPS services, and power grids, with the US Space Weather Prediction Center warning of potential disruptions to emergency services already strained by hurricanes. While no immediate disruptions were reported, it may take days to assess the storm's full impact.
Although the storm is dissipating, further aurora opportunities may arise in the coming years as past solar cycles have shown increased activity post-peak. Professor Wild emphasized that while forecasting space weather is challenging, the allure of the aurora makes it worthwhile to seek out whenever possible.