Auroras illuminate the night sky around the world
Category: News & Politics
Via: perrie-halpern • 7 months ago • 21 commentsBy: Rebecca Cohen, Jean Lee and Anisha Banerjee
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
May 11, 2024, 3:33 AM UTCBy Rebecca Cohen, Jean Lee and Anisha Banerjee
The night sky was lit up by the northern lights Friday in locations the auroras don't normally shine as a severe solar storm supercharged the display.
Photos taken from all over the world show bright-colored skies lit up in hot pink, green and purple across Europe, in the United States and as far as New Zealand.
Due to a number of solar flares and eruptions from the sun, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Space Weather Prediction Center said Thursday that the flares could trigger severe geomagnetic storms and "spectacular displays of aurora" on Friday and through the weekend.
The southern lights could be seen near Ranfurly in Central Otago, New Zealand, on Saturday, local time.Courtesy @AndrewDickson13 on X.com
Friday's storm is the first severe geomagnetic storm watch the agency has issued since 2005.
The northern lights appear in the sky when charged particles spew from the sun during solar storms, making colorful light displays when clouds of those particles collide with Earth's magnetic field and interact with the atoms and molecules in Earth's upper atmosphere.
Typically, the northern lights are only seen in high latitudes, but during intense solar storms, like on Friday, they can be seen farther south than expected, with reports of sightings in Louisiana, Alabama, and Mississippi.
In Tyrol, Austria, the aurora looked bright pink Friday.Courtesy @FlorianE53121 vix X.com
It could also be seen in the Penge neighborhood of London on Friday.Courtesy Glenn Lawrence
The northern lights were visible in Postlingberg, Austria, on Friday.Courtesy @johannes_horak
There was a possibility the aurora borealis could be seen as far south as Alabama on Friday, and sure enough, forecasters in Calera got a glimpse of the phenomenon. @NWSBirmingham via X.com
Aurora borealis seen from New Paltz, N.Y., on Friday.Devin Zapka / NBC NewsRebecca Cohen
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It rocked pretty good up here in northern Michigan last night.
Beauty.
Yes it was impressive here in Michigan, but it would've been much better earlier in the year when there is snow on the ground as when it happened in the early 80's, the night was so lit up you could see for miles with a reddish-orange hue. It did light up the area more than the setting crescent moon last night. Got up early in the morning, but it was cloudy and starting to rain but you could tell the northern lights were still there with the lighting of the clouds.
I remember that in the 80’s. Was the first time saw the northern lights of any significance. Still the best I’ve seen as well.
They were visible in Virginia last night. Seeing them has been on my bucket list for years. Checked that item off last night, but I sure wouldn't mind seeing them again.
I thought something psychedelic would be appropriate. this is the first 45 I ever bought back in '68. I still have it ...
I used to see the night sky turn colors a lot in the early 70's. of course it wasn't exactly cosmically induced...
it's when the geometric patterns start to appear. then it gets freaky...
Cloudy-showery here in upstate New York = Nothing to see where I am
It was cloudy all day, with a few showers, so I didn't bother looking outside until the dog wanted out at about 10:00. It was clear enough to see them then. A few hours later, it was overcast enough that I couldn't even see any stars.
One of the better ones I've seen up here in the north
Morning... truly amazing to think mother nature's glory is being seen around the world at the same time..
Not my photos but wish they were..
All taken in the Land Down Under..
Suppose to fire again tonite in the Midwest and east coast
Well, of course there's a storm passing through.
Evening..I am going hunting tonight to see the Aurora Australis...
Shouldn't have to go far so fingers crossed I see it...
Last one I saw was around 1982...time to see another..
Just got back from going up on the mountain only saw a little bit of a lght pink shine, two other people up there showed me on their phone you could see a little more pink. I took 2 cameras and binoculars but forgot my phone. .
T booms here tonite, no viewing
I saw them to the northwest on Friday night, but the moon is too bright right now.
We went out Friday night after sundown. The show above Duluth Harbor, Duluth, MN.
Really pretty we were in Southern Missouri on Friday and caught this.
Nice. It was amazing how far south people could see the lights.