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Saturday July 27, 2024

Northern lights will be visible again HERE

Massive solar storm let Earthlings see beautiful auroras

By Web Desk
May 11, 2024
Northern Lights to take over Earths skies again. — Unsplash/File
Northern Lights to take over Earth's skies again. — Unsplash/File

To the surprising joy of many who stayed up and kept watch, amazing auroras produced by a major solar storm set the world abuzz Friday night as vivid glowing light streamed into the skies as far south as Florida and the Bahamas.

Good news for those who didn't make it as there might be another opportunity this Saturday night, according to USA Today.

Northern Lights aurora can be seen lighting up the sky. — AFP
Northern Lights aurora can be seen lighting up the sky. — AFP

"Overnight, aurora were visible across much of the United States. Weather permitting, they may be visible again tonight," the Space Weather Prediction Center said in a Saturday morning update.

A geomagnetic storm that originated from a sunspot cluster on the Sun is responsible for the spectacle.

Severe solar storm resulted in beautiful Auroras on Earth. — Unsplash/File
"Severe" solar storm resulted in beautiful Auroras on Earth. — Unsplash/File

An experimental forecast map provided by the Space and Weather Prediction Center indicates that there is a chance that the aurora will be visible across a large portion of the United States, potentially in states like Oregon, Nebraska, Indiana, Pennsylvania, and New York. However, visibility will be contingent upon dynamic elements, such as meteorology.

What is aurora?

Nasa describes an aurora as an "intricate dance of articles and magnetism between the Sun and the Earth."

Strong electrical currents known as geomagnetic storms are produced by the Sun's activity.

Northern Lights shine in the sky. — Unsplash/File
Northern Lights shine in the sky. — Unsplash/File

The majority of these eruptions are taking place at a sizable, intricate sunspot cluster, according to the NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center.

A view of Northern Lights. — The News/Bismah Mughal
A view of Northern Lights. — The News/Bismah Mughal

The magnetic fields of sunspots, which rise and fall on an 11-year cycle, are almost 2,500 times stronger than those of Earth.