The Earth experienced its most potent geomagnetic storm in at least five years, filling the sky with vivid green and purple auroras.
According to officials, the solar storm caused a significant disruption in Earth’s magnetic field, likely affecting infrastructure and rendering the northern lights visible to the naked eye.
The NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Centre issued a geomagnetic storm watch on Saturday (Mar 23), indicating the detection of a coronal mass ejection (CME). These CMEs originate from a large cloud of magnetic and plasma field bursts emanating from the sun’s corona.
Following the impact of the solar storm on Earth, stunning green, purple, and red auroras graced the skies over Europe, New Zealand, and parts of the northern United States. These celestial displays, known as the northern and southern lights, were brought about by the rapid solar storm. However, they faded swiftly as geomagnetic activity subsided.
Alexander Kuznetsov, an “aurora hunter” from Finland, described the auroras as performing an exquisite dance across the sky shortly after dusk. He recounted how the auroras began as a dynamic arc in the southern horizon before traversing overhead, painting the sky with vibrant shades of red and purple.
Similarly, Matti Helin, another aurora enthusiast from southwest Finland, reported a brief yet impressive display lasting just 20 minutes.
Additionally, this natural spectacle was captured above a volcano near the Icelandic town of Grindavik, as the Northern Lights illuminated the night sky while the volcano erupted.
Auroras occur when solar particles from the sun collide with Earth’s magnetic field, resulting in a geomagnetic storm that disrupts the normal atmospheric conditions and creates these dazzling displays.
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