The unprecedented auroras that recently wowed millions of people across the globe were some of the most intense light shows our planet has seen for half a millennium, NASA has revealed. The dancing lights, which may have reached the equator, were triggered by Earth's most powerful geomagnetic storm in more than two decades.
Fortunately, this superpowered storm did not cause any major issues on Earth apart from some temporary satellite and communications disruptions. However, the event did paint large parts of our planet's skies with vibrant, multicolor auroras as the weakened magnetosphere allowed large amounts of solar radiation to bombard the upper atmosphere and excite gas molecules.
By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.Auroras normally only occur in polar regions, where Earth's magnetosphere is weakest. However, during big geomagnetic storms, solar radiation can reach much further afield. Auroras were also spotted in the Southern Hemisphere as far north as New Caledonia — an island nation in the Pacific Ocean between Australia and Tonga. Local photographer Frédéric Desmoulins snapped stunning shots of pink lights filling the sky, which are likely the first aurora photos ever captured on the island, Spaceweather.com reported.