Also Read | Northern Lights visible in India? Aurora borealis may glitter tonight in this state

“I have the sensation of living through a historic night in France… It was really charged, with solar particles and emotions. Find good spots, away from the lights, with a clear view to the north!,” Eric Lagadec, an astrophysicist at the Observatoire de Cote d’Azur, wrote on social media after the first night, AFP reported.

The commencement of the event unfolded shortly after 1600 GMT on Friday, as confirmed by the US-based National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC), the report said. This phenomenon resulted from the initial occurrence of several coronal mass ejections (CMEs), involving the expulsion of plasma and magnetic fields from the Sun.

Also Read | Missed aurora borealis? You may have another chance to see Northern Lights tonight

Solar Storm Lights Up The Skies

The intensity of the solar storm escalated to an “extreme” geomagnetic storm, marking the first instance since the “Halloween Storms” in October 2003, which led to blackouts in Sweden and inflicted damage on power infrastructure in South Africa, as per the report.

Friday’s storm attained level five geomagnetic conditions, the highest on the scale. Subsequently, Saturday witnessed conditions ranging from G3 to G5, with predictions indicating G4 or higher conditions persisting into Sunday, and the possibility of G3 conditions extending into Monday, it added.

Also Read | Northern lights dazzle over UK, Europe, skywatchers say, ‘Get a load of this aurora borealis’

Fortunately, despite initial concerns expressed by authorities, there have been no significant disruptions reported to power or communication networks during this period. The SWPC has only received “preliminary reports of power grid irregularities, degradation to high-frequency communications, GPS and possibly satellite navigation”, AFP said.

Here’s a Look At the Spectacular Skies

View Full Image

Excitement over the phenomenon — and otherworldly photos pink, green and purple night skies — popped up across the world, from Mont Saint-Michel on the French coast to Payette, Idaho — in the western United States — to Australia’s island state of Tasmania.

Unlike solar flares, which travel at the speed of light and reach Earth in around eight minutes, CMEs travel at a more sedate pace, with officials putting the current average at 800 kilometers (500 miles) per second. The CMEs emanated from a massive sunspot cluster that is 17 times wider than our planet.

People with eclipse glasses can also look for the sunspot cluster during the day. The Sun is approaching the peak of an 11-year cycle that brings heightened activity.

Fluctuating magnetic fields associated with geomagnetic storms induce currents in long wires, including power lines, which can potentially lead to blackouts. Long pipelines can also become electrified, leading to engineering problems.

Spacecraft are also at risk from high doses of radiation, although the atmosphere prevents this from reaching Earth. NASA has a dedicated team looking into astronaut safety and can ask astronauts on the International Space Station to move to places within the outpost that are better shielded.

Even pigeons and other species that have internal biological compasses could be affected. Pigeon handlers have noted a reduction in birds coming home during geomagnetic storms, according to NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

The most powerful geomagnetic storm in recorded history, known as the Carrington Event after British astronomer Richard Carrington, occurred in September 1859.

Milestone Alert!
Livemint tops charts as the fastest growing news website in the world 🌏 Click here to know more.

Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed – it’s all here, just a click away! Login Now!

Published: 12 May 2024, 07:46 AM IST