An intense and rare geomagnetic solar storm has raised the possibility of northern lights shining over the US, Britain, Canada and parts of Europe including Germany, Ukraine and Switzerland.
According to the Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC), the visibility of Aurora Borealis is due to the most powerful and largest solar storm in more than two decades.
The powerful coronal mass ejection from a class
As a result, the aurorae were able to extend to unusual southern latitudes such as Virginia, New York, California and even a plane over Texas.
According to the German weather services, the northern lights shone in the sky in various parts of Germany on Monday evening. The aurorae were also visible as far south as the Alps.
In addition, the northern lights made the sky in Britain glow in shades of pink and green. On Monday evening, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales will also experience this dazzling natural phenomenon.
In the US, NOAA said: “Those in the northern and central states of the continental US can look for the aurora at night and when weather conditions permit.”
“The green, red and purple hues of the rare lights could also be visible as far south as Alabama and into northern California,” the agency added.
How do you get the best view of the Northern Lights?
When conditions are right, auroras can be seen from over 900 kilometers away. According to SWPC, the best time to see the Northern Lights is between 10pm and 2am, with activity expected to peak around midnight.
What makes this solar storm rare?
According to Shawn Dahl, a service coordinator at NOAA, the last solar storm of this magnitude was observed in 2003. The intense storm could cause satellite and flight disruptions and cause power outages.
