An unusually strong solar storm that collided with Earth caused a stunning display of color in the Northern Hemisphere sky on Saturday morning. There were no immediate reports of power and communication disruptions.
The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) issued a warning of a rare severe geomagnetic storm after the solar flare hit Earth a few hours earlier than expected on Friday afternoon. The effects of the northern lights, which have been prominently displayed in the UK, will last through the weekend and possibly into the week ahead.
Many in the UK have shared Roshni’s phone snaps on social media since early Saturday morning. This phenomenon has been seen as far south as London and southern England.
Chris Snell, a meteorologist at Britain’s Met Office, said: “There were scenes from up and down the country.” He said the office had also received photos and information from other European locations, including Prague and Barcelona.
NOAA has warned operators of power plants and spacecraft in orbit, as well as the Federal Emergency Management Agency, to exercise caution. “For most people on the planet, they don’t have to do anything,” said Rob Steinberg, a scientist at NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center.
NOAA said the storm could produce lights as far south as Alabama and as far north as California. But it was difficult to predict. Analysts say it won’t be the dramatic display of color typically associated with the northern lights, but more like a greenish plume.
“This is truly a gift from space weather, Aurora”, Steinberg said. He and his colleagues said the best aurora views could come from phone cameras, which are better at capturing the light than the naked eye.
The most intense solar storm in recorded history hit Central America and possibly Hawaii in 1859. Agency
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