A huge solar storm that’s hitting Earth is going to be visible in Australia later tonight, but you can already see its pretty light display in the northern hemisphere.
Before you panic, no, the solar storm is nothing to worry about.
A solar storm is caused by a type of solar flare called a coronal mass ejacul- I mean, ejection (CME), which is basically a huge expulsion of plasma from the Sun’s corona, aka the outer layer. And yes, this whole thing reads like a euphemism and I’m sure a scientist is cackling somewhere.
Anyway, the solar storm was predicted to be visible sometime tonight around 4am AEDT/3am AEST, with Northern Lights-like aurora display above the north of England and New York, and southern parts of Australia.
“On the local night of 11 October (and maybe 12 October), aurora may be visible from Tasmania, the coastline of Victoria and the southwest coast of Western Australia,” the Bureau of Meteorology’s Space Weather Services said, per News.com.au.
There’s already pictures flowing in of the trippy light display, so please take this opportunity to pause your doom-scrolling and marvel at the wonders of the universe.
Northern lights dancing tonight in Edmonton Sky. #AuroraBorelis #Yeg pic.twitter.com/woteda6sHH
— NidheeshDadheech, PhD (@NidheeshDadhich) October 12, 2021
Look at that bouncy boi!!
Nearly bedtime for me as well. Guaranteed this #solarstorm is just getting underway though! New Zealand & Tasmania are next on the list so get ready for some #AuroraAustralis! Views might even reach the southern tip of Australia if the magnetic field remains strongly southward! https://t.co/JnmQ3FGaMu
— Dr. Tamitha Skov (@TamithaSkov) October 12, 2021
Last night is what dreams are made of 🤩 #NorthernLights@_SpaceWeather_ @TamithaSkov @AuroraMAX @StormHour pic.twitter.com/rmqosXvspp
— Jeanine – Northern Escape Photography (@jeanineh_) October 12, 2021
Beautiful views in Calgary pic.twitter.com/omKOnSXMdr
— Kashif Choudhry (@mkclhr) October 12, 2021
Some pretty great northern lights over Edmonton right now… pic.twitter.com/w4knbnz7hx
— Casey Hudson (@CaseyDHudson) October 12, 2021
If you’re wondering why the solar flare is happening now of all times, no, it’s not the apocalypse. The sun is starting a new 11 year solar cycle, and eruptions and flares usually grow more intense around this time.
The rare time when the aurora cooperates with my work schedule! Incredible show happening right now in Fairbanks. These were a few shots taken from 8-10pm. #akwx #aurora #northernlights @TamithaSkov @Aurora_Alerts @TweetAurora pic.twitter.com/QFJD2btt8P
— Luke Culver (@LukeCulverWx) October 12, 2021
not too bad lil iphone (Fairbanks) @AuroraNotify pic.twitter.com/vwQsBPompm
— Sara Eliza Johnson 💀🦌 (@saraelizaj) October 12, 2021
Just look at this beauty??? How can I be a sad little bean when something so much larger than me exists so freely? These pictures are gorgeous and I don’t know about you, but my nightly doom-scrolling has been cancelled for the evening.
