Witness the mesmerizing spectacle of pink and green auroras dancing across the night sky in May, marking one of the most intense displays in centuries. This celestial phenomenon is just the beginning of a potentially prolonged period of similar breathtaking shows, as the sun approaches the peak of its 11-year solar cycle with unexpected vigor.
Auroras, created when solar particles interact with Earth’s atmosphere, result in a stunning array of colors as energy is released. Typically visible only in polar regions due to the planet’s magnetic field, these displays can extend to lower latitudes during particularly active solar storms.
To gain insight into what lies ahead and how this heightened solar activity impacts us, Science News spoke with Teresa Nieves-Chinchilla from NASA’s Space Weather Analysis Office and Shawn Dahl from NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center. Their expert perspectives shed light on the upcoming solar phenomena and its implications for our planet.
2024-06-04 11:00:00
Source from www.sciencenews.org