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US and UK witness the Northern Lights after the strongest solar storm in 20 yrs

  • Northern Lights illuminate UK skies following one of the strongest geomagnetic storms in years
  • Sighting of aurora over Ladakh's Hanle, spotted after years
  • US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration forecasts Northern lights to continue today as well

11 May 2024

US and UK witness the Northern Lights after the strongest solar storm in 20 yrs

The Northern Lights are a rare spectacle for any country barring the Nordic regions, however, images have been flooding the internet as onlookers shared images of the aurora borealis, visible across the southern coast of England. This stunning display was prompted by one of the strongest geomagnetic storms in years, as confirmed by the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which issued a rare solar storm warning.

Highlighting the rarity of the event, experts noted that extreme geomagnetic storms like this one occur infrequently. The last such event was observed in 2003, making Friday's occurrence exceptional. This increased visibility is attributed to the approaching 'solar maximum' phase in the Sun's 11-year cycle, characterized by heightened sunspot activity.

The geomagnetic storm caused the Kp index to be at an all-time high of 9. The Kp index ranges from 0 to 9. For Kp in the range 0 to 2, the aurora will be far north, quite dim in intensity, and not very active. For Kp in the range of 3 to 5, the aurora will move further from the poles, it will become brighter and there will be more auroral activity.

Various regions across the globe witnessed the northern lights on Friday night and the NOAA forecasts them for Saturday too. In Ladakh, the usually remote region of Hanle was treated to a breathtaking sight as the aurora borealis danced across the sky.

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