Northern lights glow in the sky as huge solar storm hits Earth

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration issued a rare severe geomagnetic storm warning when a solar outburst reached Earth on Friday afternoon, effects of which are expected to last over the weekend and even next week.

In Short

• Stunning display of auroras light up night skies
• People take to social media to share aurora views
• Space agencies say solar storm poses no big risk

A stunning spectacle of northern lights and aurora was on display over the night sky in some countries as an unusually strong solar storm hit Earth on Friday, disrupting power and communications.

People from countries including the United States, United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand shared some awe-inspiring pictures of aurora as it happened in the night skies.

"Ok.... Did not expect this tonight. Colour me stunned. Even better was someone playing "in the air tonight" really loudly. "I've been waiting for this moment, all my life," an X (formerly Twitter) user from England wrote.

Some of the other social media users also took to X to share the jaw-dropping views of northern lights from parts of UK.

One of them wrote, "Unbelievable, no. Words. They should have sent a poet. #aurora #solarstorm #NorthernLights London, UK."

"Absolutely biblical skies in Tasmania at 4 am this morning. I’m leaving today and knew I could not pass up this opportunity for such a large solar storm. Here’s the image. I actually had to de-saturate the colours. Clouds glowing red. Insane. Shot on Nikon. Rt appreciated," wrote one X user sharing a picture of northern lights as seen from Australia.

Another social media user shared the following view of this wonderful natural phenomenon as witnessed in New Zealand.

Earlier, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration issued a rare severe geomagnetic storm warning when a solar outburst reached Earth on Friday afternoon, hours sooner than anticipated.

Operators of power plants and spacecraft in orbit were alerted to take precautions.

The NOAA informed the sun has been producing strong solar flares since Wednesday, causing a number of plasma outbursts.

The flares seem to be originating from a sunspot that’s 16 times the diameter of Earth, a NOAA statement said.

US space agency Nasa assured the storm posed no serious threat to the astronauts aboard the International Space Station.

However, according to NOAA, the biggest concern remains the increased radiation levels.

Meanwhile, a range of sun-focused spacecraft are monitoring all the action unfold.

“This is exactly the kinds of things we want to observe,” said Antti Pulkkinen, director of the space agency’s heliophysics science division.

With inputs from Reuters
Published By:
Vivek
Published On:
May 11, 2024