Member-only story
Perfect Solar Storm Promises Strong Auroras Farther South Than Usual
The biggest solar storms in 20 years may light up the sky near you this weekend (and beyond).
This year’s total solar eclipse was amazing, but not the most amazing sky gazing I have ever experienced. That award goes to the aurora borealis I saw in the 1990s. I was a college student in Michigan playing a late-night game of soccer (as college students are wont to do) when the night sky suddenly erupted in cascading sheets of color.
I didn’t even know one could see the northern lights in southern Michigan. I will never forget the experience, and I have been on a hunt to see a second aurora ever since.
This weekend may be my chance. And not just mine. You may be able to see them as far south as Alabama in the US, as well as the northern half of the UK, weather permitting.
And if you miss it, don’t despair: We are just entering the peak of the 11-year cycle of solar radiation that causes this phenomenon.
The sun is a stormy place
It is easy to think of the sun as basically an enormous light bulb, really hot, but otherwise just quietly sitting there, illuminating the solar system. But in fact, it is a churning, boiling sea of…
