Record Solar Activity Sparks Stunning Auroras

Over the last few weeks, Northern U.S. states have been experiencing intense solar activity, causing colorful displays in the night sky typically referred to as the Northern Lights. In early March, it was reported by NASA that there were 22 coronal ejections in one day, with one geomagnetic storm.

In addition, there was one X-class flare (the most powerful type of solar flare, emitting intense bursts of X-rays and energy from the Sun) and 12 M-class flares (a medium-strength solar flare that can cause brief radio blackouts and minor radiation storms). 

What Causes the Northern Lights to Appear?

The Northern Lights are caused by geomagnetic storms that originate from the sun. “During one kind of solar storm called a coronal mass ejection, the sun ‘burps’ out huge bubbles of electrified gas that can travel through space at high speeds,” a portion of NASA’s website states. “The particles then interact with gases in the atmosphere, resulting in beautiful displays of light in the sky.”