‘We’re in the middle of an intense geomagnetic storm’: What NASA has to say about solar eruptions triggering colourful auroras | Technology News
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) weather prediction centre on Monday warned about an extended geomagnetic storm of level G4 (severe). According to NOAA, this could cause fluctuations in weak power grids and impact satellite operations. On the brighter side, it also leads to the visibility of colourful auroras in high-latitude regions in select parts of Canada and the United States.
We’re in the middle of an intense geomagnetic storm! 🌎🧲💥
A series of solar eruptions arriving at Earth are triggering widespread auroras. Here’s what NASA space weather analyst Carina Alden saw last night as she traveled through Michigan and Wisconsin! pic.twitter.com/qrpdkva4Vj
— NASA Sun & Space (@NASASun) August 12, 2024
NASA astronaut Matthew Dominick, currently aboard the International Space Station (ISS) with Sunita Williams and few others, shared a captivating timelapse video. The video shows the “moon setting into streams of red and green aurora”, followed by a “sunrise illuminating the Soyuz with a light blue hue”. It was captured using an Arri Zeiss 15mm, T1.8 lens mounted onto a Nikon Z9, which was recently delivered to the ISS via the Cygnus cargo spacecraft.
What causes solar flares and auroras?
When solar activity on the Sun’s surface reaches its maximum, it results in the eruption of solar flares, also known as coronal mass ejections (CMEs). These are caused by an unstable magnetic field on the surface. CMEs are classified into different categories based on severity, with G1 considered the mildest and G5 as severe. A severe G5 flare was witnessed in May. It could cause massive disruption in power grids, GPS, and radio signals.
Timelapse of the moon setting into streams of red and green aurora followed by a sunrise lighting up Soyuz with a light blue.
The aurora have been amazing the past few days. Great timing for trying out a new lens that recently arrived on Cygnus.
15mm, T1.8, 1/3s exposure,… pic.twitter.com/otFv5pZ6vd
— Matthew Dominick (@dominickmatthew) August 12, 2024
When charged particles (CMEs) collide with Earth’s atmosphere, they interact with gas, causing the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, to light up the sky.
A moderate geomagnetic storm, G2, is said to continue until August 14, which means auroras will continue to be visible across different parts of the world.
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