CAPE CANAVERAL. Florida. An extraordinary solar storm hitting Earth has ignited stunning displays of color across the skies of the Northern Hemisphere, captivating observers early Saturday. The event, marked by vibrant Northern Lights, has so far caused no immediate disruptions to power or communications infrastructure.
The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) issued a rare severe geomagnetic storm warning after a solar outburst reached Earth on Friday afternoon, arriving earlier than anticipated. The effects of this celestial phenomenon, known as the Northern Lights or Aurora Borealis, are expected to persist throughout the weekend and possibly into the following week.
In the United Kingdom, where the Northern Lights were prominently visible, many captured the mesmerizing spectacle and shared images on social media platforms. Reports indicate sightings as far south as London and southern England.
Chris Snell, a meteorologist at the Met Office, the UK’s weather agency, described widespread sightings across the country, with reports and photographs pouring in from other European locations including Prague and Barcelona.
While NOAA issued alerts to operators of power plants and spacecraft, as well as to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), experts reassured the public that the majority of individuals would not be directly affected by the storm.
Rob Steenburgh, a scientist with NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center, emphasized that while the storm could extend the visibility of the Northern Lights to regions as far south as Alabama and Northern California in the United States, the display may manifest as splashes of greenish hues rather than the dramatic curtains of color typically associated with the phenomenon.
Steenburgh recommended using phone cameras to capture the aurora, as they are better equipped to capture light than the naked eye. Mike Bettwy, operations chief for the prediction center, encouraged sky watchers to snap pictures, suggesting that a delightful surprise might await them.
While the solar storm is not anticipated to reach the intensity of the historic event in 1859, which prompted auroras in central America, experts cautioned that it could still pose risks to high-voltage transmission lines and satellite systems, potentially disrupting navigation and communication services on Earth.
Despite potential disruptions, NASA assured that the solar storm posed no serious threat to astronauts aboard the International Space Station. However, precautions were taken to monitor increased radiation levels, and sensitive instruments on science satellites may be temporarily deactivated to prevent damage.
Gary P Hernal started college at UP Diliman and received his BA in Economics from San Sebastian College, Manila, and Masters in Information Systems Management from Keller Graduate School of Management of DeVry University in Oak Brook, IL. He has 25 years of copy editing and management experience at Thomson West, a subsidiary of Thomson Reuters.
