Seeing the northern lights, also called aurora borealis, is a unique experience that many people dream of.
Tourists often travel to northern regions like Iceland, Norway, Sweden, and Alaska to witness this natural phenomenon. However, even in these locations, you might not get to see the northern lights, as this magnificent event depends on several factors.
There is also a counterpart to this natural event in the Southern Hemisphere: the aurora australis, or southern lights. Seen in areas like Antarctica and New Zealand, this light show is not as well-known as the northern lights but is equally mesmerizing.
The northern lights are described as bright, swirling curtains of light in green, pink, and red tones that appear in the dark night sky. They are usually observed in regions close to the poles, where the Earth's magnetic field is strong, creating an impressive display of colors.
This stunning phenomenon occurs as a result of the interaction between charged particles from the Sun and the Earth's magnetic field.
This year, a magnetic storm allowed northern lights to be seen in lower latitudes as well.
2024 has witnessed one of the strongest magnetic storms in the last twenty years. This storm was caused by a massive coronal mass ejection, which could roughly be described as a large cloud of charged particles ejected from the Sun. These particles interacted with Earth's magnetosphere, causing the Northern Lights to be visible in unusual regions. Even southern areas like England, Ireland, and Florida experienced this breathtaking light show this year.
This extraordinary storm also damaged satellites and electrical grids in various parts of the world. A flight from San Francisco to Paris had to alter its route to avoid increased solar radiation while passing over the Arctic region.
Intense periods of solar activity are part of the Sun's natural life cycle.
The Sun increases and decreases its activity levels in approximately 11-year cycles. During the peak of the cycle, events like sunspots, solar flares, and coronal mass ejections occur more frequently. These events result from significant changes in the Sun's surface magnetic fields and affect the Earth's magnetic field, leading to the visibility of auroras over a wider area.
Particles from the Sun react with oxygen molecules to produce red or green light tones, while nitrogen molecules create blue and purple light tones.
The pale yellow-green is the most common aurora color and is created by oxygen molecules located about 96 kilometers above the Earth. Rare red auroras are formed by oxygen molecules at 320 kilometers high.
Auroras are generally considered harmless. However, high-energy particles from the Sun reaching Earth can create some indirect effects.
Satellites, GPS systems, and other electronic devices can be affected from strong magnetic storms. Such storms can induce large currents in the Earth's electrical grids, potentially leading to power outages.
There is also an increased radiation risk for aircraft flying in polar regions during magnetic storms. Therefore, airlines may alter flight routes during these storms. Astronauts and spacecraft in space can also be affected, necessitating protective measures.
The powerful magnetic storm in 2024 gave many people the chance to witness this natural wonder and reminded us of how magnificent our planet's interaction with the Sun can be. If you want to see the stunning northern lights, 2024 might be an ideal year to observe them!
