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On Friday, Earth experienced a potent solar storm, illuminating the skies with mesmerising light displays. This storm, noted as the most intense in over two decades, surprised observers by generating auroras even in Ladakh, despite its mid-latitude location.
The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Space Weather Prediction Center confirmed the event, categorising it as a severe (G4) Geomagnetic storm on NOAA's scale. These effects are anticipated to continue through the weekend as additional coronal mass ejections interact with Earth's outer atmosphere.
Stable Auroral Red Arcs (SAR arcs) captured from Hanle Dark Sky Reserve, UT Ladakh on 11.05.24 at 0100 hrs. A very rare phenomenon for Mid Latitude like Hanle. Eta Aquarid meteor shower added more beauty to the Aurora, visible in the top right of the photo. pic.twitter.com/RNp7J8wh2q
— stanzin norla (@snorl) May 11, 2024
Auroras are captivating bands of light that typically manifest near Earth's poles, commonly referred to as the Northern or Southern lights depending on their visibility. These luminous displays result from magnetic storms induced by solar activities, such as coronal mass ejections. During these storms, charged particles propelled by the solar wind surge towards Earth. Upon penetrating Earth's magnetic shield, they instigate substorms. The collision of fast-moving particles with oxygen and nitrogen in the upper atmosphere leads to a luminous spectacle, with varying colours depicting the energy released during impact.
The severity of the recent geomagnetic storm allowed for the rare appearance of auroras in Ladakh, as observed by the Hanle Observatory. Although infrequent, this event is not unprecedented in Ladakh's history of aurora sightings.
Hanle Observatory is renowned for its exceptionally dark skies, serving as the location for the Indian Institute of Astrophysics’ Indian Astronomical Observatory. Recognised as India's inaugural Dark Sky Reserve, Hanle offers unobstructed views of the celestial canvas, free from light pollution. This pristine environment enables observers to capture faint celestial objects that might be challenging to discern from other locations.
