A rare geomagnetic storm not seen for nearly 20 years could cause a stunning aurora borealis on 10 and 11 May
The aurora borealis, or northern lights, are expected to be more active than they have in decades the evening of 10 May, according to anby the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration . They could be visible as far south as Alabama in the US and Scotland in the UK. This marks the first severe geomagnetic storm watch from NOAA since 2005.
This shimmering green, purple and red glow in the sky occurs when charged particles from the sun smash into Earth’s atmosphere. The sun emitted several huge plumes of particles, calledWhen these particles reach Earth, many of them are deflected by the planet’s magnetic field. But the field is weaker around the poles, so some of them manage to sneak in and hit the atmosphere, where they impart energy to its constituent gas molecules.
The more powerful the CME, the more particles sneak into the atmosphere and the brighter and bigger the aurora is. The CMEs that just blasted off the sun are more powerful than any that have hit Earth since January 2005. Solar storms this powerful can even disrupt satellites and the electrical grid by releasing powerful currents that may damage their components.
To see the aurora, you need to be as far as possible from any major light pollution – it can be impossible to spot even an incredibly powerful aurora from urban locations. Once away from city lights, let your eyes adjust to the darkness and look to the northern sky.In the US, people may see the aurora by late 10 May or early 11 May over most of the northern half of the country, and potentially as far south as Alabama to northern California, according to NOAA.
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