Spectacular aurora photos: Skies dazzle in vivid colors around the world
The aurora put on a spectacular celestial show Friday night. Bright pink, swirling greens, and splashes of purple lit up the night skies over much of the globe. Earlier in the day, the NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center noted that “extreme (G5) geomagnetic conditions have been observed.” G5 is the most intense level for a geomagnetic storm (on a scale from G1 to G5) and has not been seen since October 2003.
[Related: We finally know what sparks the Northern Lights]
Geomagnetic storms and solar flares can cause widespread disturbances to radio communications, power grids, and navigation signals. It also means the aurora is particularly stunning.
140 AM and the auroral corona and was still pretty active right above us. #aurora #wawx pic.twitter.com/URQzfVcTbX
— NWS Seattle (@NWSSeattle) May 11, 2024
Observers from Slovenia to Pennsylvania, New Zealand to Canada shared dazzling photos of vivid colors stretched across sky. NOAA expects the conditions to continue through Sunday, so if you missed the show on Friday, there may still be time to catch it this weekend.
The Aurora Australis, also known as the Southern Lights, glow on the horizon over waters of Lake Ellesmere on the outskirts of Christchurch on May 11, 2024. Photo: Sanka Vidanagama / AFP, SANKA VIDANAGAMA/AFP via Getty ImagesLight green and violet-reddish auroras glow in the night sky in the Oder-Spree district of East Brandenburg, Germany. Photo: Patrick Pleul/picture alliance via Getty Images
Simply stunning to see all of these #aurora pictures across South Florida tonight! https://t.co/aOd45shgCb
— NWS Miami (@NWSMiami) May 11, 2024
The Aurora Australis, also known as the Southern Lights, glow on the horizon over waters of Lake Ellesmere on the outskirts of Christchurch. Photo: SANKA VIDANAGAMA/AFP via Getty ImagesNational Weather Service Seattle wrote: “Aurora still going strong after 2 AM local time. I was working during the October geomagnetic storm of 2003 and this is, hands down, the best I’ve seen in my 25 years at this office.” Photo: NWS Seattle, X
If you spot aurora from this major solar storm, you can #DoNASAScience by making a report to participatory science project https://t.co/25lyqbJDAq! pic.twitter.com/QF25i6u0SI
— NASA Sun & Space (@NASASun) May 10, 2024
Time-lapse of tonight‘s Aurora from Nashville ???#Auroraborealis #aurora #Nashville #TN@SonyElectronics #Nightsky pic.twitter.com/nznmtgcntP
— Matt Tyska (@TyskaLabActual) May 11, 2024
The National Weather Service in Shreveport wrote: “The clouds cleared out at the office just in time. What an unbelievable treat for us here on the midnight shift. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would see the Northern Lights here in Shreveport. Incredibly thankful for dry air aloft.” Photo: NWS Shreveport, X
The aurora borealis continue! #swiwx #wiwx pic.twitter.com/TYUQ2SaxIZ
— NWS Milwaukee (@NWSMilwaukee) May 11, 2024
We had a great view of the aurora from our office overnight! Did you see it? We would love to see your photos! #mtwx #idwx pic.twitter.com/5sP6VmlqMk
— NWS Missoula (@NWSMissoula) May 11, 2024
Well, we can't say we get shots like this very often. This is the Space Station passing overhead around 3:12 AM with the aurora below them. Just imagine what the views have been like for them! #aurora #wawx pic.twitter.com/yxW4DdOwVG
