As experts point out, an “exceptional” solar storm could dye the Spanish sky with red light on Wednesday and Thursday of this week, making the aurora visible even in latitudes as extraordinary as ours, although it was already very faint at this time of year. … Last night, especially in the northern part of the peninsula. If the forecast holds true, activity could continue for several days to come, almost always providing a unique opportunity to observe a phenomenon unique to the polar regions.
A class of powerful solar flares. When this jet of charged particles coming from the sun collides with the Earth’s magnetic field (a kind of “doughnut” with holes at the poles and acts as a shield against the most harmful particles of cosmic radiation), the magnetic field deforms and causes brightly colored auroras. Although spectacular, this phenomenon poses no danger to life on Earth.
According to forecasts, we are already in a G4 (high alert) geomagnetic storm, which could have visible effects even in the mid-latitudes of the Iberian Peninsula.
“The effects of these coronal mass ejections are producing visible auroras at relatively low latitudes and are also causing strong disturbances in the Earth’s magnetic field,” explains Hector Czocas Navarro, a researcher at the Canary Islands Institute for Astrophysics (IAC) and director of the European Solar Telescope Foundation (EST).
But what makes this news really an exceptional phenomenon, according to IAC experts and other solar observing organizations, is that it GLE (ground level enhancement)an event so rare that it only occurs a few times during the solar cycle, which lasts approximately 11 years. In these cases, solar particles are so energetic that when they collide with Earth’s atmosphere, they trigger a cascade of secondary particles that reach the Earth’s surface and are detected by neutron stations around the world.
“GLEs are extremely rare. For them to occur, protons accelerated to hundreds of megaelectron volts from the Sun must reach Earth,” added Csokas-Navarro.
Northern lights seen in Valencia in October 2024
Initial analysis suggests that recent events are comparable to those recorded on December 13, 2006, considered one of the most violent in recent decades.
There is no impact on your life other than communication.
The European Space Agency (ESA) is also monitoring the phenomenon. “Our planet suffered two consecutive coronal mass ejections last night, causing severe geomagnetic disturbances. We expect a third to arrive today or tomorrow. “The impact of the third ejecta will largely depend on whether it merges with the first two,” said Juha-Pekka Rungtama, director of ESA’s Space Weather Service. “It is estimated that the magnetic storm will continue at high intensity and could potentially affect satellites, electrical networks and navigation systems. With new coronal mass ejections observed from the Sun, intense space weather activity is expected to continue later this week.”
Although the phenomenon is spectacular and is not expected to have a significant impact on daily life, collateral damage may occur, such as interference with high-frequency communications, satellite navigation systems, and additional radiation on polar flights, which are typical effects of severe geomagnetic storms.
“It shouldn’t have a big impact on daily life, but scientifically it’s very interesting,” Sokas-Navarro stressed. “And of course now you don’t have to go to Norway to see the Northern Lights.” Because everything indicates that we are facing the largest solar anomaly in the last 20 years.
take a photo of the aurora borealis
For those who enjoy sky and astrophotography, the invitation is clear. Tonight, if conditions are good (clear skies and minimal light pollution), it is well worth looking to the north, to higher ground, or to dimly lit areas. There you can see soft greenish, reddish or deep purple tones appear. It’s a tone that probably won’t be picked up very strongly by the human eye, but it can be picked up by any camera, including cell phones.
jessica rojas
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