Northern Lights Illuminate Sky Across 22 States Tonight
A recent solar event has sparked a spectacular celestial display visible across a wide area. Stargazers, including those in New York, may witness the northern lights due to a powerful geomagnetic storm.
Solar Flare and Coronal Mass Ejection Details
On November 5, an M7.4 solar flare erupted from the sun, releasing a Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) — a burst of plasma and magnetic fields from the sun's outer layer. The CME is traveling at speeds between 2.5 and 3.1 million miles per hour. This event triggers both the northern lights (aurora borealis) and southern lights (aurora australis).
Storm Arrival and Impact
The CME is expected to reach Earth late on November 6 or early November 7, potentially causing a strong G3 geomagnetic storm, according to NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center.
“Watches have been issued for these times with moderate to high confidence in timing, and moderate confidence in magnitude,” NOAA stated.
Effects on Aurora Visibility
If the CME arrives as predicted, it could intensify auroras, making them visible far beyond the poles, including much of the US Midwest. This presents excellent viewing conditions for aurora enthusiasts.
“A whole train of big #solarstorms are on their way, along with some smaller storms hitting now, and some fast solar wind! It is an #aurora photographer’s dream starting now and lasting at least through the weekend,” said space weather physicist Tamitha Skov on X.
Summary
This geomagnetic event offers a rare chance to see vivid auroras across 22 states, igniting excitement among sky watchers and photographers alike.
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