Residents of western North Carolina were in for a stunning surprise when the aurora borealis was seen in the area over the weekend of May 10-11. Now reports show the US may see more northern lights in early June; But will they be visible in the WNC area?
The Citizen Times initially reported that the May 10-11 aurora borealis will be visible mostly in northern states, which are already significantly farther away than usual. But when the geomagnetic storm responsible for the auroras was upgraded to a G5 storm, the auroras unexpectedly appeared in NC.
Later this week, the sunspot that created May’s amazing auroras will once again face Earth. With solar maximum approaching, causing an increasing number of coronal mass ejections, science says it is not out of the question for the aurora borealis to be visible in NC.
Here’s what you should know about the potential return of the Northern Lights to North American skies.
More:The aurora borealis was dazzling. Will Asheville, NC see the Northern Lights again soon?
May 10 Northern Lights in North Carolina
Many WNC photographers took photos of the May auroras, including Jen Blake Fraser, who provided the images to the Citizen Times. She also described her experience of seeing the lights.
“It was mostly a faint glow and I could tell it was red, pink or green,” Fraser said. “Occasionally, brighter streaks appeared. Some of these streaks moved rapidly and changed as if blowing in the wind.”
When will the next aurora be seen?
The sunspot will face Earth from June 4-6, but no major storms are expected yet.
In addition, news from USA TODAY explored the possibility of an aurora during the weekend of June 7-9, although the article again emphasized the difficulty of predicting the phenomenon.
NOAA’s Space Prediction Center provides a short-term forecast for aurora location and intensity with 30- and 90-minute forecasts. If you’re hoping for a chance to see the aurora borealis, keep an eye on these forecasts for the next few evenings.
More:Planet parade: What you should know about the June alignment of the 6 planets
Will North Carolina see the Northern Lights again this week?
Currently, NOAA forecasts call for potential aurora visibility up to the northern tier and far north over the Midwestern states. However, sunny weather can be unpredictable as in the case of solar storms on May 10-11.
What causes the aurora borealis?
Although they may look magical, the formation of auroras is a hard science. When particles streaming from the Sun are caught in the Earth’s magnetic field, their interactions with atmospheric gas molecules cause the famous eerie green and rusty red displays.
Aurora sightings become more common over wider areas due to increased coronal mass ejections associated with solar maximum, the point at which the sun undergoes its highest level of activity in its roughly 11-year cycle.
Although the maximum is predicted to occur between late 2024 and early 2026, scientists cannot determine the occurrence of solar maximum until seven months after it occurs, and the occurrences and intensities of solar flares are difficult to predict. The last solar maximum occurred in 2014.
More:When is the full moon in June? Why is it called Strawberry Moon? Why you don’t want to miss it.
Why do the aurora borealis have different colors?
According to reports from USA TODAY, the bright colors of the aurora are determined by the chemical composition of the Earth’s atmosphere and the altitude where the sun’s particles collide with the gases.
The same article states that auroras most often appear green, but red, pink, blue, or purple can also appear. Space.com provided an explanation of several colors seen in auroras with help from the Canadian Space Agency:
- Green auroras are usually created when charged particles collide with the high concentration of oxygen molecules in the Earth’s atmosphere at altitudes of around 60 to 290 miles.
- Red auroras, less common and usually associated with intense solar activity, occur when solar particles react with oxygen at higher altitudes, generally around 180 to 250 miles.
- Blue and violet auroras, even less common than red, also usually occur during periods of high solar activity. These colors are created when solar particles collide with nitrogen in the Earth’s atmosphere at an altitude of 60 miles or less.
- The yellow and pink auroras are the result of a mixture of red auroras with green or blue auroras. They are rare and typically associated with high solar activity.
Cheryl McCloud, USA Today Network, contributed to this post.
Iris Seaton is a trends reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach her at iseaton@citizentimes.com.