The display comes after the sun fired four bursts of plasma toward Earth, known as coronal mass ejections or CMEs, earlier this week. Space weather forecasters had predicted that three of the explosions could combine into a violent “cannibal” CME that could trigger unusual aurora borealis far south in the United States and Europe.
Satellite observations revealed that Limited signs of enhanced aurora activity early Thursday evening.The first signs of the storm arrived late in the evening, but still small ripples In the atmosphere.
Afterwards, those waiting for the Northern Lights became increasingly anxious as no noticeable colorful skies were seen for much of the night for an extended period of time. I wonder if it became a bust?
Like storm chasers, the most patient and persistent sky watchers were rewarded in the end.
strong magnetic storm The flight departed the East Coast of the United States at approximately 5:45 a.m. By 6:30 a.m., it had risen to G3, and when it did, a column of red and green erupting into the sky became visible to the naked eye farther south than usual.
So far, reports of aurora borealis have come from far south. arizona. nebraska, iowa. connecticut In addition to the typical northern spots, we also got a glimpse of Massachusetts. A few days after the full moon, the colors were bright and glowing even though the moon was nearly 90 percent illuminated.
In the end, the forecast was quite accurate, although there was a slight delay in the appearance of the aurora borealis. Space scientists have been predicting a strong geomagnetic phenomenon for several days.
The most severe solar storms can cause significant disruptions on Earth, including power outages to radio communications, global positioning satellites, and even broader power systems. While storms of G3 strength often produce brilliant aurora shows, the impact on technology infrastructure tends to be minor.
How long will solar storms last?
With multiple CMEs, auroras can last longer than most space weather events. Although uncertain, Current storm may continue on Friday night in the United States. Meanwhile, night returns to Asia and Europe, and other regions may see dazzling sights as well.
of #Aurora I’ve been waiting! A powerful CME struck, creating a G3 geomagnetic storm.
Quick edit on site in Spooner, Wisconsin. Colors come directly from the camera. No color correction! Although it looks a little dim to the eye, the red was very bright until dawn.#wiwx #Aurora pic.twitter.com/h50CqazDAL— Jake Steli (@eljakeo30) December 1, 2023
The Sun has been very active over the past few months and years. A strong G3 storm occurred in November, and long-exposure images showed the aurora as far as southern Texas. At the beginning of this year, a severe G4 storm hit. It was the strongest since 2017.
There is a good chance that we will see further bursts of geomagnetic activity in the coming months, coinciding with the solar cycle. reach the peak In 2024.