May's Strongest Solar Storm Brings The Aurora Borealis To All 50 States & Throughout Parts Of The World
Monday, June 10, 2024, 11:30 A.M. ET. By Ryan Metz: Englebrook Independent News,
MANHATTAN, NY.- In May of this year the world witnessed the strongest solar storm in decades, producing colorful displays of the aurora borealis at latitudes far lower than usual.
The solar storm was so large and intense that the northern lights could be seen in all 50 states and parts of Mexico.
Usually, the northern lights are only seen in the range of 60 to 75 degrees latitude which covers northern Europe, and parts of Canada and Russia. This storm, however, brought the northern lights to latitudes as low as 30 degrees.
The sun is currently about to enter the "Solar Maximum", its highest rate of activity in the 11-year solar cycle that flips the magnetic poles of the sun. This peak in activity coupled with the sunspot-producing the solar storm may result in more sightings of the aurora borealis in the U.S.
Though predicting these events is not easy. Scientists had originally predicted that this cycle would be rather uneventful and it has already exceeded the margin of error for those predictions. Some have also voiced concerns over the interference with satellite communications which has already resulted in flight paths for airplanes altering to more southern paths.
Anyone interested in following the sun's activity in hopes of seeing the aurora can find information from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration here at https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/
FILED UNDER: JUNE 10, 2024: SCIENCE & NATURE, EDUCATION: