People across the United States, from Alabama to New Mexico, were treated to spectacular displays of the northern lights on Wednesday, as bursts of charged particles from the sun reached Earth.
The National Weather Service (NWS) shared images of red and green auroras stretching across the night sky in states including New York, Oklahoma, Washington, Tennessee, Iowa, Idaho, and South Dakota.
The aurora appeared after a coronal mass ejection (CME)—a massive release of solar particles traveling with magnetic fields—disturbed Earth’s magnetic field, creating a geomagnetic storm.
Meteorologist Marc Chenard of the Weather Prediction Center said the lights were most visible in the northern U.S., particularly in Minnesota, Wisconsin, the Dakotas, and southern Michigan. Some areas in the Mid-Atlantic, Tennessee Valley, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Colorado, and the southern U.S. could also see the aurora if conditions were favorable.
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The aurora borealis is typically strongest near the North Pole. The colors—green and red from oxygen, blue and purple from nitrogen—are caused by interactions between solar particles and Earth’s atmosphere.
The NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center reported three CMEs in recent days, with the latest described as the strongest. The center has issued a G4 geomagnetic storm warning, the second-most severe level, citing potential impacts on power grids, satellites, and GPS navigation.
Warnings have also been issued in Canada and Britain, where auroras were expected over northern regions, with limited visibility further south due to cloud cover.
“Two of the solar ejections have already arrived and packed quite a punch,” said Shawn Dahl, Space Weather Prediction Center coordinator. “Forecasters are closely monitoring the arrival of the third, most energetic CME.”
As solar activity continues, experts advise people to enjoy the stunning light show while remaining aware of potential disruptions to technology and navigation systems.