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Rare Northern Lights Displayed inโ New Mexico
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A spectacular display of the Aurora Borealis, commonly known asโ the Northern Lights, captivated โฃresidents of New โคMexico on Tuesday, November 11, 2025. Photographerโ Knate โMyers captured stunning images โคof the phenomenon, โคshared โwidely online and sparking excitement โขacross the state. This event marks a relatively rare occurrence of the Northern Lights being visible at such low latitudes.
Did You Know? โฆ
โขThe Northern Lights are caused by charged particles from the sun colliding with โEarth’s atmosphere.
โ
Understanding the โขNovember 11th Aurora
Typically, the Northern Lights are best viewed in โhigh-latitude regions like Alaska, Canada, and Scandinavia.However, a recent strong geomagnetic โขstormโค pushed the aurora further south, making it visible in several โU.S.states, including New Mexico. โThe โintensity of the stormโข was a key factor in the widespread visibility.
Factors Contributingโข to Visibility
Several factors aligned to create this โunusual viewing โขopportunity.โ A coronal mass ejection (CME) from the sun impacted Earth’s magnetosphere, triggering theโข geomagnetic storm. Clear skies across New Mexico also playedโฃ a crucial role, allowing for unobstructed views of the aurora. The clarity of the night sky was exceptional,
โข noted Myersโ in a social โmedia post accompanying his โphotographs.
Timeline of the Event
| Date | time (MST) | Event |
|---|---|---|
| 11/11/2025 | 21:00 | First reportsโค of aurora sightings |
| 11/11/2025 | 22:00 – 01:00 | Peak โauroraโฃ activity |
| 11/12/2025 | 02:00 | Aurora activityโ diminishes |
Capturingโค the Lights: Equipment & Technique
Knate Myers โutilized a Nikon Z7ii camera to capture the breathtaking images. The photographer’s skill and equipment โคallowed for detailed documentationโค of the aurora’sโ vibrant colors and dynamic โmovements. Capturing โขthe aurora requires โฃpatience and the right settings,
Myers explained.
Pro Tip: โฆ
When photographing the Northern โฃLights, use a wide-angle lens, a tripod, andโ a long exposure time (typically 15-30 seconds).
Geomagnetic Storm โdetails
Theโ geomagnetic โstorm that โcaused the aurora reached a G3 level, classified as a “Strong” stormโค by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Management (NOAA) Space Weather Prediction Center. This level of โactivity is โknown toโ cause minor disruptions toโ radio โcommunications and power grids,โ thoughโ no significant impacts โขwere โreported in New Mexico.
“geomagnetic storms are a natural part of the space โweather surroundings,” states NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center.
Looking Ahead: Future Aurora Possibilities
While theโ November 11th display was exceptional, the โคpossibility of โคfuture auroraโ sightings in New Mexico remains.Continued solar โactivity and favorable geomagnetic conditions could bring the Northernโข Lightsโ back to lower latitudes. Monitoring space โคweather forecasts is key to anticipating such events.
What did you think of the Northern Lightsโค display? Shareโ yoru photos and โexperiences in the comments below!
Would you like to receive updates onโ future space weather events? Subscribe โto โour newsletter!
Frequently Askedโ Questions about the New Mexico aurora
- What causes the Northern โLights? The aurora โis caused by charged particles from the sun interacting with Earth’s atmosphere.
- How often are the Northern Lightsโ visible in New Mexico? Visibility is rare, typically occurring during strong geomagnetic storms.
- What โฃequipment is needed toโข photograph the aurora? A wide-angle lens