On good days, the northern lights can be seen in areas close to the poles – Iceland or Norway, Finland or Alaska, northern Russia or northern Canada. In its southern parallel, you can observe Antarctica. This weekend, the spectacular phenomenon was watched by millions of people even in areas much closer to the equator.
The northern lights in the sky of Holland, photo: I.P.I
In the northern hemisphere, the aurora appeared over Spain, Italy, Austria, France, southern Switzerland, India, Mexico and the southern states of the USA, while in the southern hemisphere countless cameras were pointed skyward in Chile, Argentina and New Zealand.
The Southern Lights in the Christchurch area, New Zealand, photo: AFP
The breathtaking performances followed an unusually strong geomagnetic storm. A few days ago, six eruptions took place on the Sun’s corona, which sent countless particles into space.
The Zohar over Switzerland, photo: IPA
When they hit oxygen, nitrogen and hydrogen atoms in the Earth’s ionosphere, the release of energy is reflected in the northern lights (Aurora Borealis) and the southern lights (Aurora Australis).
The glow over Omsk, photo: Reuters
The current magnetic storm is of G5 intensity – the highest. The last time it was recorded at this intensity was in October 2003.
The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) warned that the storm might cause disruptions to satellites and the power grid.
The biggest storm – at least since tracking began – was recorded in September 1859 and caused disruptions in the telegraph network that had just been established in the USA. According to the forecasts, the magnetic storm is expected to last for a few more days.
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