A rare and powerful solar storm is causing spectacular displays of the Northern Lights – typically visible only in high-latitude regions – to be seen across an unusually wide swath of the United States, stretching as far south as Texas, Alabama, Georgia, and northern Florida. The vibrant auroral displays were visible late Tuesday and into Wednesday morning, captivating skywatchers with hues of green, pink, and purple.
This geomagnetic storm, triggered by a series of coronal mass ejections from the sun, is classified as severe by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Governance (NOAA). While visually stunning,such storms have the potential to disrupt power grids,satellite operations,and radio communications. NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center has issued alerts and is monitoring the situation closely, forecasting continued geomagnetic activity through the week.
The aurora borealis, commonly known as the Northern Lights, is created when charged particles from the sun collide with atoms and molecules in Earth’s atmosphere. Typically,these collisions occur near the Earth’s poles,resulting in the aurora being visible in countries like Canada,Alaska,and Scandinavia. Though, the intensity of this current solar storm has pushed the auroral oval further south, making the phenomenon visible to millions who rarely, if ever, have the prospect to witness it. residents in Crested Butte, Colorado, captured images of the aurora on Tuesday night, showcasing the vivid colors against the dark sky.
