02 MAY 2023

Ladakh Dazzled By Northern Lights

AYAAN PAUL CHOWDHURY

A rare phenomenon 

The Indian Astronomical Observatory above Mt Saraswati witnessed a rare phenomenon when a geomagnetic storm hit Earth's magnetic field, producing unique auroras.

Photo: Getty Images

An unexpected visit

The auroras are usually visible at higher altitudes in areas like Alaska, Norway, and other Scandinavian countries, and Russia.

Photo: Getty Images

a first for india

This was the first time that the Indian Astronomical Observatory captured the aurora on camera in India.

Photo: Getty Images

360-degree camera

The 360-degree camera atop the IAO in Ladakh Hanle captured the mysterious phenomenon caused by plasma particles from the Sun and Earth's magnetic field.

Photo: Twitter/IIABengaluru

Cause

The Indian Institute of Astrophysics confirmed that the auroras were due to an intense geomagnetic storm that hit the Earth, which is extremely rare at such low latitudes.

Photo: Getty Images

The time-lapse

The IIA Bengaluru observatory captured the phenomenon and shared a time-lapse video of the night sky on their Twitter account.

Video: Twitter/IIABengaluru

Ejection from the Sun

The aurora was observed on the night of April 22-23, following a coronal mass ejection from the Sun on April 21.

Photo: NASA

High-speed entry

The CME hit Earth at a speed of 21,60,000 kilometers per hour, according to the Indian Institute of Astrophysics.

Photo: Getty Images

Scarce sightings

The geoeffective CME led to an excellent night for auroral activity, resulting in rare sightings from Europe, China, and Ladakh in India.

Photo: Twitter/ddtsarkar

The last occurrence

Such a severe geomagnetic storm last occurred in 2015.

Photo: India Today