An Aurora Before the Storm
Explanation:
Early April brought some of the most
intense auroral storms
this decade.
An aurora on April 6 was reported to be the
largest visible on
Earth since 1989,
and was seen throughout
Europe and much of northern
North America.
On that day, many skywatchers expecting to see a rare
alignment of planets
were treated to a additional treat.
Many reported
aurorae with a relatively
unusual red color.
The
above aurora recorded at dusk over
Alaska sported the
more typical green glow. A huge auroral ring
can be seen superposed above
trees and a building.
Auroral activity occurs high in the
Earth's atmosphere and is a
direct result of storms on our
Sun.
As huge sheets of
charged particles stream out from the Sun,
a small fraction of these particles are funneled in by
Earth's magnetic field and strike atoms high
in the atmosphere, causing the
sky to glow.
The particles are harmless to people on
Earth's surface, but can
cause havoc on
satellites in orbit far above.
Authors & editors:
Robert Nemiroff
(MTU) &
Jerry Bonnell
(USRA)
NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings,
and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris.
Specific
rights apply.
A service of:
LHEA at
NASA /
GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
