The northern lights illuminated the sky over Bashaw, Alberta, Canada, on August 11, 2024, as captured in a remarkable photo by skywatcher Darlene Tanner.
This week, the sun’s turbulent activity is enhancing auroras on Earth, a result of a series of powerful geomagnetic storms triggered by recent solar flares.
On Monday, August 12, the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) reported a severe G4-class geomagnetic storm at 11 a.m. EDT (1500 GMT), which would have significantly boosted northern lights visibility across the United States if it hadn’t occurred during daylight hours.
According to SWPC officials, “A severe geomagnetic storm includes the potential for auroras to be seen faintly as far south as Alabama and Northern California.”
By the afternoon, the storm had downgraded to a “moderate” G2-class, with NOAA noting that northern lights could be visible from areas as far south as the upper United States, including Washington, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, and Wisconsin. The auroras are expected to continue through at least Tuesday evening, August 13.
Though the G2-class storm may seem underwhelming following the earlier G4 event, it’s worth remembering that even a weaker G1-class storm produced stunning auroras across the U.S. and Canada in late July.
The current geomagnetic activity results from solar particles released by the sun during multiple coronal mass ejections accompanied by at least five solar flares since August 10. These charged particles are directed toward the poles by Earth’s magnetic field, where they interact with the atmosphere, creating the beautiful auroras.
In the Northern Hemisphere, this phenomenon is known as the aurora borealis, or northern lights, while in the Southern Hemisphere it is referred to as the aurora australis, or southern lights.
This week promises more than just enhanced northern lights for stargazers; the annual Perseid meteor shower is also peaking overnight on August 11 and 12, offering the possibility of witnessing both meteors and auroras simultaneously for fortunate observers. Those interested in photographing the northern lights can refer to guides on the best techniques and locations for capturing this spectacular event.