A powerful geomagnetic storm has led to the Northern Lights being visible in Canada and the northern half of the United States, as well as in parts of Europe, including Germany, Switzerland, and Ukraine on Monday evening, DW reports, writes UNN.
"Rare" geostorm hit Earth
According to the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the solar storm, which is the largest in over two decades, is the result of a massive eruption of charged particles that left the sun on Sunday and are predicted to arrive on Monday and Tuesday.
A geomagnetic storm is a severe disturbance of the Earth's magnetic field due to a solar storm. According to NOAA, Monday night's storm was "very rare."
The geostorm reached G4 conditions at 19:38 GMT (21:38 Kyiv time) on Monday, placing it in the second highest category, the agency adds.
Astronomical platform Spaceweather reported that the ejection cloud traveled from the Sun to Earth in almost 25 hours. Usually, it takes three to four days for such a cloud.
Shawn Dahl, a service coordinator at NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center, said the last solar storm of this magnitude hit Earth in 2003.
Solar radiation storms can affect objects in space and the operation of satellites. This phenomenon can also cause voltage problems.
Where the Northern Lights were seen
The German Meteorological Service (DWD) reported that on Monday night, the Northern Lights, also known as the aurora borealis, lit up the sky in several parts of Germany.
The intensity of the storm caused the aurora's hues to be visible as far south as the Alps.
Meanwhile, in the US, NOAA said that residents of the northern and central continental US states "may look for the aurora borealis at night and if weather conditions permit." Green, red, and purple hues of the rare lights can also be seen as far south as Alabama to northern California, the agency adds.
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