A powerful solar storm hitting Earth created mesmerizing displays of color in the skies across the Northern Hemisphere early Saturday, with no immediate reports of disruptions to power and communications. The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration issued a rare severe geomagnetic storm warning when a solar outburst reached Earth on Friday afternoon, arriving hours earlier than expected. The Northern Lights were visible in Britain and were expected to last through the weekend and possibly into the following week.
Many in the U.K. shared photos of the lights on social media, with sightings as far south as London. Meteorologists at the Met Office received photos and information from other European locations, including Prague and Barcelona. NOAA alerted operators of power plants, spacecraft in orbit, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency to take precautions, although most people on Earth would not be impacted.
The solar storm could produce northern lights as far south as Alabama and Northern California, although experts noted it may not be as dramatic as typical aurora displays. The best views of the auroras may come from phone cameras, which are better at capturing light than the naked eye. Signals between GPS satellites and ground receivers may be disrupted, but any outages should be short-lived due to the abundance of navigation satellites in orbit.
The sun has been active in producing solar flares since Wednesday, with at least seven outbursts of plasma observed. NASA stated that the storm posed no serious threat to the astronauts aboard the International Space Station, although increased radiation levels were a concern. NASA’s science satellites may also be at risk, with sensitive instruments potentially being turned off to prevent damage. Multiple sun-focused spacecraft are monitoring the solar activity.
Overall, the solar storm provided a unique opportunity to observe the effects of space weather, with experts keeping a close eye on the situation to ensure minimal disruptions on Earth. The increased solar activity is expected as the sun approaches the peak of its 11-year cycle.
