A powerful solar storm hit Earth on April 23 at 1:37 PM EDT (1737 GMT) and triggered gorgeous aurora displays around the world.
Geomagnetic storms are disturbances to Earth’s magnetic field Because of the solar material from Coronal mass ejection (CME) – large ejections of plasma and magnetic field from sun atmosphere. This particular geomagnetic storm was caused by a CME that left the Sun on April 21.
The geomagnetic storm peaked as G4 severe on the previously used 5-magnitude scale US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) (Opens in a new tab) to assess severity space climate events.
Related: Solar activity may peak a year earlier than thought. This is what that means for us
During a solar storm, particles from the sun hit Earth’s atmosphere At speeds of up to 45 million miles per hour (72 million kilometers per hour) our planet’s magnetic field directs particles toward the poles. Supercharged particles in Earth’s atmosphere give rise to colored glasses, which usually remain restricted to regions in the high latitudes of the aurora borealis (aurora borealis) (northern lights) and low latitudes for the aurora borealis (southern lights).
This time, sky watchers around the world were treated to dazzling displays of the Northern Lights that have reached as far south as Colorado and New Mexico. In Europe, aurorae have been seen as far south as France and Germany. At the other end of the scale, the Australian aurorae are seen as far north as midwestern New South Wales, Australia.
Landon Mueller (Twitter @employee (Opens in a new tab)) not only captured an aurora over Apple River, Illinois, United States, but it also captured a possible Laird meteor!
“I was running a time-lapse on my camera at the time to capture the dancing aurora,” Mueller told Space.com in an email. “Suddenly a bright white/blue meteor streaked from east to west through the pillars of light for 4-5 seconds before burning up and leaving a huge smoke trail. It was incredible!”
Mueller’s luck lasted all night, as the photographer managed to catch another Lyrid meteor streaking across the aurora-filled sky.
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Astrophotographer Ben Brotherton (Twitter @employee (Opens in a new tab)) He took this gorgeous photo from his backyard in Herefordshire, West Midlands, UK
“I was absolutely shocked to see how bright and vibrant it was on my camera,” Brotherton told Space.com in an email.
“I’ve seen the aurora borealis before, the last one a month ago, but this time around the pillars of light were clearly visible.”
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Alan Truss (@AlDarkSkyWales Twitter (Opens in a new tab)) Stunning image of Rhigos Mountain, South Wales, UK Shows the moon The conjunction and Venus shine on the left side of the aurora borealis light show.
The night sky exploded to life around 11 p.m [BST] And I had the most amazing auroral display,” True told Space.com in an email.
“It was great to show people huddled up close to the colors on camera and then the gorgeous screen in front of us! We made up for the canceled stargazing experience due to clouds at our original destination.” Follow True.
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Alice Hwang (Twitter @employee) I was surprised to see the northern lights in Southern California.
My husband and I were camping in the Owens Peak Wilderness in the Southern Sierra. After the sun went down and we started to see a pink glow in the sky, we almost couldn’t believe our eyes! Hwang told Space.com in an email.
“It was amazing and surreal to see the pillars so high in the sky at this latitude!” Hwang continued.
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Despite the clouds, Edwin Mabunga (Twitter @employee (Opens in a new tab)) managed to capture a mesmerizing mix of Northern Lights sightings in Southland, New Zealand.
“I took these pictures as part of an impromptu Northern Lights photography class I did.” Mapunga told Space.com in an email.
Mapunga invited people who wanted to help take the photos to meet outside his house. He had a mother and her three children as well as a lady in her sixties appearing with their phones.
“They were both surprised that their phones could take pictures of auroras and happy to see their first aurora,” Mapunga continued. “Overall it was a very satisfying evening for me in spite of the clouds.”
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Kaitlyn Moore watched an amazing Northern Lights display from Madison, Wisconsin, United States
The striking green and pink/purple color of the ionizing gases was only apparent on long exposures, but even to the naked eye there was a faint, invisible light on the horizon,” Moore told Space.com in an email.
“We are so accustomed to the glow of the air and the light pollution, with the happy help of a high misty cloud rising from the lakes, that the fact of seeing an aurora at all at this latitude, let alone of it being of such striking and wonderful color and structure, is a testament to the power of solar activity.” Moore continued.
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Many sky watchers have taken to Twitter to show off their stunning images of the Northern Lights.
The bright lights of Calgary, Canada were not deterred by the beautiful aurora light show captured by Kyle Brittain (Twitter @employee (Opens in a new tab)) above the city skyline.
Unreal! Watching the Northern Lights over the bright lights of Calgary was unforgettable! #yyc #AuroraBorealis #Northern Lights pic.twitter.com/S1CbUmoTafApril 24, 2023
The aurora borealis were even spotted over western Kazakhstan and shared on Twitter by Ehot (Twitter @employee (Opens in a new tab))
Aurora lights last night over western Kazakhstan (51st parallel) @NightLights_AM #AuroraBorealis pic.twitter.com/WEHeNxEgsGApril 24, 2023
We can expect more extreme space weather events like this powerful geomagnetic storm as the sun heads toward the climax 11-year solar activity cycleIt is expected to happen in 2025.
Inspired by these images and want to know how you can increase your chances of catching the next aurora show? You can find out Where and how to photograph the Northern Lights With our helpful guide. For more detailed advice, see our guide to the best equipment for photographing the Northern Lights, which includes our recommendations for cameras, lenses, and tripods. Or, if you’re just getting started and want to know what you should buy, read our article on the best cameras for astrophotography.
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