Northern Lights visible from Ladakh, and why you will see them more often and further south now
People have always been fascinated by the Northern Lights or the Aurora Borealis due to its sheer beauty and spectacle. The 'greatest light show' on Earth, which was usually confined to the Arctic; and the Southern Lights or Aurora Australis in the Antarctic; has been an intriguing natural phenomenon due to its rarity and unpredictability.
The Northern Lights can be seen in countries located in the higher latitudes near the Earth's magnetic poles. Some of the countries where the Northern Lights are frequently visible include Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Canada, Alaska (USA), and Russia.
But something has changed.
Of late, you might have noticed more and more headlines saying that this rare occurrence is being seen in places where they normally aren't. Last week, the Northern Lights were seen as far south as Arizona and central California in the US and even in southern England.
Aurora Borealis was visible from as far as India's Ladakh (34-36°N). This was the first time that the aurora was captured on camera in India by the Indian Astronomical Observatory.
But why do the Northern Lights seem so active at the moment and visible from parts of the world where they are usually not visible from? We take a look.
What causes auroras or polar lights?
The Northern Lights and Southern Lights are a natural light display that occurs in the polar regions. They are caused by particles from the sun that enter the Earth's atmosphere and collide with gas particles, such as oxygen and nitrogen.
When these particles collide, they release energy in the form of light. The different colours of the aurora are produced by different gases. For example, green auroras are caused by oxygen molecules, while red auroras are caused by high-altitude oxygen atoms.
The reason why the polar lights are more visible in the polar regions is that the Earth's magnetic field traps these particles near the poles, causing them to interact with the atmosphere and produce a beautiful display of light.
The strength and frequency of the lights depend on the activity of the sun. When the sun is more active, it releases more particles, which can result in more frequent and intense auroras.
Overall, the polar lights are a fascinating natural phenomenon that results from the interaction between the sun, the Earth's magnetic field, and our atmosphere.
Why are we seeing the Northern Lights more often now?
In the last two weeks, the Northern Lights have been seen in parts of the world where they were never been seen before. This recent Northern Lights viewing, according to scientists, is because the sun let off a large burst of energy.
"The sun spit off a big blob of plasma. The burst of energy, which has its own magnetic field, had been moving through space and reached Earth's magnetic field, and when the two collided, it created a geomagnetic storm," Robert Steenburgh, a space scientist told The New York Times.
But it is not just a one-off incident. We are seeing the Northern Lights more often than before. But why is that? It seems like our Sun is going through a change.
Every 11 years, the Sun's magnetic cycle ramps into overdrive.
- At the height of this cycle, known as solar maximum, the Sun's magnetic poles flip.
- This produces a greater number of sunspots, more energy and cause solar eruptions of particles.
- This activity on the sun - a solar storm or coronal mass ejection - causes the auroras.
- And this process increases and is more visible when the Sun goes through this natural, 11-year cycle.
"We're right in the middle of that transition right now; we're approaching it. When we hit the middle we call it solar maximum. It's when we have the most sunspots it's when we get the most solar flares and eruptions," Bill Murtagh, the Program Coordinator for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Space Weather Prediction Center told Rochesterfirst.com.
What are solar storms and how do they affect the Earth?
Solar storms are disturbances in the Sun's magnetic field that can release large amounts of energy into space in the form of charged particles and electromagnetic radiation. The most common types of solar storms include solar flares, coronal mass ejections (CMEs), and high-speed solar wind streams.
The effects of solar storms on the Earth can vary depending on the strength and type of the storm. The charged particles from a solar storm sometimes interact with the Earth's magnetic field, causing colourful polar lights. But these storms cause other disruptions and can affect the Earth in many ways:
Power outages: Strong solar storms can cause power grid disturbances by inducing electrical currents in long power lines, which can lead to blackouts and other electrical disruptions.
Satellite and communication disruptions: Solar storms can interfere with satellite communication and navigation systems, causing disruptions to GPS, satellite TV, and other services.
Radiation exposure: Solar storms can increase radiation levels in space, which can pose a risk to astronauts and people at high altitudes.
Increased risk of space debris: During a solar storm, the Earth's atmosphere can expand, which can increase drag on orbiting satellites and space debris, leading to a higher risk of collisions with other objects in orbit.
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