aurora

Latest about aurora

The two massive sunspot groups, known as AR 2993 and AR 2994, became visible a few days ago at the northeast limb of the sun after becoming active while still hidden by the sun's disk.

New swarms of sunspots are so gigantic they could devour Earth whole

By Tom Metcalfe published

Two immense swarms of sunspots have popped into view on the surface of the sun, hinting at the increased possibilities of vivid auroras and potentially damaging solar flares over the months to come.

The Sun
The Subaru Telescope captured video of a mysterious, glowing swirl above Hawaii on April 17, 2022.

Shimmering 'night spiral' captured above Hawaii is actually a dying SpaceX rocket

By Elizabeth Howell published

The descent looked like a 'flying whirlpool' over Hawaii.

Space Exploration
Todd Salat captured auroras over Goðafoss waterfall in northern Iceland on April 14, 2022.

Stunning aurora glow above Iceland after 'dead' sunspot erupts

By Elizabeth Howell published

A sunspot that "awoke from the dead" last week triggered stunning aurora above Iceland.

The Sun
The brilliantly green northern lights on a dark night

Sudden eruption from 'dead' sunspot could bring auroras as far south as New York

By Elizabeth Howell published

After a dead sunspot hurled a ball of plasma toward Earth earlier this week, medium-sized auroras may stretch even farther south than usual.

The Sun
An image of the spinning orb of blue light moving across an aroura-filled sky in Alaska.

Chinese rocket photobombs aurora with spinning orb of light

By Harry Baker published

A spinning orb of light that slowly moved across the sky in Alaska on March 29 was actually frozen fuel left by a Chinese rocket, according to experts.

Space Exploration
NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory capture an image of the sun ejecting filaments of plasma from an active spot (the bright area to the right from the center of the image).

A 12,000-mile-deep 'canyon of fire' has opened on the sun, spitting intense solar wind toward Earth

By Tereza Pultarova published

Filaments of plasma escaped from a fiery canyon that opened on the sun's surface on Sunday (April 3) and might bring more auroras to Earth later this week.

The Sun
The sun emitted a mid-level solar flare, an M7.9-class, peaking at 4:16 a.m. EDT on June 25, 2015. NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory, which watches the sun constantly, captured an image of the event.

Powerful solar flare from recent sun eruption should reach Earth Wednesday

By Chelsea Gohd published

A powerful solar flare has been traveling through space and will arrive at Earth Wednesday (Feb. 2).

The Sun
A powerful solar flare erupted from the sun on Monday (Dec. 20).

Solar storm may amp up northern lights before Christmas

By Tereza Pultarova published

A solar storm that erupted from the sun on Monday (Dec. 20) may boost northern lights displays around the north pole just ahead of Santa's trip this weekend.

The Sun
Earth is surrounded by a giant magnetic bubble called the magnetosphere, which is part of a dynamic, interconnected system that responds to solar, planetary and interstellar conditions.

41,000 years ago, auroras blazed near the equator

By Mindy Weisberger published

A geomagnetic event around 41,000 years ago sent the aurora wandering for centuries, as far south as the equator.

Planet Earth
The northern lights could heat up the next couple of nights during a strong geomagnetic storm. Here, the brightness and location of the aurora is shown as a green oval centered on Earth’s magnetic pole. The green ovals turn red when the aurora is forecasted to be more intense. 

Solar storm brings the Northern Lights to the northern US

By Stephanie Pappas published

A strong solar storm is creating aurora-friendly conditions as far south as Pennsylvania, Iowa and Oregon this week.

The Sun
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