Auroras light up night skies globally, with expected continuation until Sunday

The night skies were illuminated by a spectacular display of the northern lights on Friday, as a severe solar storm supercharged the phenomenon in locations where the auroras are not typically seen. Photos captured from around the world showcased vibrant hues of hot pink, green, and purple lighting up the skies across Europe, the United States, and even as far as New Zealand.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Space Weather Prediction Center had issued a warning on Thursday that severe geomagnetic storms could be triggered by a series of solar flares and eruptions from the sun, leading to “spectacular displays of aurora” on Friday and throughout the weekend. This storm marked the first severe geomagnetic storm watch issued by the agency since 2005.

The northern lights, caused by charged particles from the sun colliding with Earth’s magnetic field, typically appear in high latitudes. However, during intense solar storms like the one on Friday, they can be visible much farther south than usual. Reports of sightings came in from unexpected locations such as Louisiana, Alabama, and Mississippi.

The cosmic show is expected to continue through at least Sunday, with the ongoing storm causing some reports of power grid issues. Social media was flooded with stunning images of the auroras from various parts of the world, capturing the mesmerizing beauty of this rare celestial event.