Communication disruptions can also occur.
The sun had just released a substance equivalent to a huge ray of sunshine that delivered heavily charged coronal matter to the Solar System. Some of the solar energy reaches our atmosphere on Wednesday evenings and Thursdays and encourages star viewers to stare at the night sky in anticipation of the colorful, sparkling northern lights.
After a break of several months, the sun woke up to a new period of solar activity. An impressive solar flare and coronal mass ejection (CME) on December 7 drove the plasma and magnetic field toward the earth.
Of course, the pleasant effect of the incoming solar activity will mean the dazzling appearance of the aurora borealis. Because of the strength of the storm, the Northern Lights can be seen by many who do not normally see them. The NOAA geomagnetic storm index, which indicates the magnitude of solar activity, predicts a Kp index of 7 (out of 9), which corresponds to aurora activity toward the south, as in Chicago, Detroit, Boston, and Seattle.
During CME, the incoming sun particles and magnetic fields released from the sun force the release of particles already trapped in the Earth’s atmosphere. This triggers reactions that force light photons activated by oxygen and nitrogen molecules in the upper atmosphere.
The most common aurora colors are a luminescent green, but if you need a little luck, the atmosphere can offer a wide range of colors from red to pink or blue to purple. Although the estimated peak of the Northern Lights will begin at 10pm on Wednesday, falling to 3pm, some activities will be possible until Dec. 10th.
