Vibrant red northern lights ignited the skies this week
This week, the world bore witness to a spectacular celestial display of red auroras, as a powerful solar storm collided with Earth’s magnetic field, painting the night sky with vibrant hues of red.
Skywatchers from Europe to North America were treated to this stunning light show, particularly those in regions with clear skies. Some observers described the display as the ‘Holy Grail of Northern Lights‘, given the rarity of witnessing red auroras, especially as far south as France and Kansas.
Collision of natural forces
Solar storms result from the expulsion of charged particles from the Sun, known as solar winds. These winds interact with Earth’s magnetosphere, and our planet’s magnetic field captures and directs these particles toward high-latitude regions near the magnetic poles.
The collisions between these charged particles and atoms and molecules in Earth’s atmosphere, like oxygen and nitrogen, energize them. This results in beautiful light shows in various colors, creating the mesmerizing phenomenon known as auroras.
The palette of the skies
Different gases and altitudes result in the emission of different colors. Oxygen at higher altitudes emits red light, while at lower altitudes it produces green light. Nitrogen, on the other hand, can produce purples, blues, and pinks.
Green is the most prevalent aurora color due to the optimal conditions and altitudes for producing the green wavelength. This often creates a breathtaking spectacle as the lights ripple, dance, and shimmer across the night sky. However, during strong auroral displays, red, purple, and blue may also appear, adding to the splendor of the visual feast.
Red auroras — A scarlet spectacle
Red auroras are particularly enchanting, resulting from high-energy electrons colliding with oxygen atoms at altitudes above 200 miles. The longer wavelength of red light allows it to travel farther distances and often appear at the lower edges of an aurora.
The red hue isn’t as common as green, occurring less frequently due to its reliance on collisions at higher altitudes. During active displays, the red dances above the green, creating an unparalleled natural light show.
Unexpected impact
Although experts had predicted a solar storm for September 24, the strength of the impact surpassed expectations. The flare from the Sun triggered a potent geomagnetic storm above Europe, illuminating the skies of Scotland, Iceland, and the Netherlands with bright green and red auroras. It later traveled across the Atlantic Ocean to North America, extending as far south as Kansas and Nebraska.
A year of celestial wonders
For aurora chasers, this year has been notably thrilling, with several astonishing displays of northern lights reaching unusually far south. The last red aurora observed was in February, and the frequency of such events is attributed to a surprisingly active solar cycle.
Some eruptions were so powerful that they triggered radio blackouts in the US in June. As we are heading toward the peak of an approximately 11-year cycle of solar activity, more spectacular displays might be on the horizon.
Experts at EarthSky noted on September 26, “Sun activity is back to low, but we saw filament eruptions all over the solar disk, particularly in the northeast and northwest. These filaments hurled ejecta into space, and we await the results of specialist analysis to determine if a component of those blasts is coming our way.”
More red auroras expected
Aurora enthusiasts are indeed in eager anticipation for more of these celestial ballets in the sky, a vivid reminder of the dynamic and ever-changing nature of our universe. This extraordinary display of red auroras, historically perceived by some as ominous harbingers of war or tragedy, today unites people in wonder, illuminating the skies with its rare and ethereal beauty.
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