According to experts, auroras may be seen from the US on Tuesday. States that are as far south as Missouri and Colorado may get to witness these stunning lights.
Solar Storm May Cause Auroras on Tuesday
A coronal mass ejection (CME) erupted from the solar surface last September 16 and was aimed towards the Earth's direction. It is expected that a geomagnetic storm will follow the CME's arrival on September 19, Tuesday.
CMEs refer to clouds of charged particles and magnetic fields from the solar surface that get expelled to space at a pace of 3,000 kilometers per second. If directed towards the Earth, it may take a couple of days to travel and arrive. When it reaches the planet, it leads to geomagnetic storms that typically enable auroras to cover the skies.
However, the exact time remains unclear. According to the Space Weather Prediction Center of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, G1 to G2 (minor to moderate)-class storms may peak between 6:00 and 9:00 UTC.
While the exact timing is not and can never be clear, a G2 storm typically results in the display of stunning auroras. A similar G2-class storm took place on September 12, which led several auroras to be seen across various US states.
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Aurora Borealis
Aurora borealis, or northern lights, is an atmospheric phenomenon that occurs when the Earth's magnetosphere directs particles to the poles. This process leads to the cinematic appearance of wavy lights that leave skywatchers and scientists dazzled. Auroras are born when solar wind slams into the ionosphere of the planet.
If these lights occur in the Northern hemisphere, they are referred to as northern lights or aurora borealis. Their Southern hemisphere counterparts are called southern lights or aurora australis.
Northern lights' bright colors are dictated by the chemical composition of the atmosphere of the Earth. Astronomer Billy Teets, who serves as the Dyer Observatory director at Vanderbilt University, explains that each kind of molecule or atom absorbs and radiates its own distinct color sets, adding that this is quite analogous to the unique fingerprints of humans. Some of the dominant aurora colors are green, which oxygen molecules produce, and red, which nitrogen molecules produce.
Though solar wind stays constant, the emissions of the Sun follow an 11-year solar activity cycle. While there are times of dormancy, there are times when strong storms bombard the planet with large energy amounts. It is during the latter case when auroras are most frequent and brightest. The next solar activity peak will happen by around 2025.
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