Strong solar storms paint skies with vibrant colors

A powerful solar storm, part of an ongoing series, filled skies with stunning pink, purple, green, and blue hues, visible farther south than normal, including in Türkiye, Germany, the U.K., New England, and even New York City.

There were no immediate reports of disruptions to power and communications. The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration issued a severe geomagnetic storm alert on Wednesday after an outburst from the sun was detected earlier in the week. Such a storm increases the chance of auroras - also known as northern lights - and can temporarily disrupt power and radio signals.

Northern lights (Aurora Borealis) are seen over the Baltic Sea close to Kiel, northern Germany, Oct.10, 2024.

NOAA's Friday forecast shows continued higher-than-normal activity, but the chances for another overnight show are slim farther south of Canada and the northern Plains states.

The northern lights, known as the aurora borealis, are observed in Bozkurt, Kastamonu, northern Türkiye, Oct. 10, 2024.

The sun sends more than heat and light to Earth - it sends energy and charged particles known as the solar wind. But sometimes that solar wind becomes a storm. The sun's outer atmosphere occasionally "burps" out huge bursts of energy called corona mass ejections. They produce solar storms, also known as geomagnetic storms, according to NOAA.

The Northern Lights are seen over The Kissing Trees near Kinghorn in Fife, Scotland Friday, Oct. 11, 2024.

The Earth's magnetic field shields us from much of it, but particles can travel down the magnetic field lines along the north and south poles and into Earth's atmosphere.

Aurora borealis, or Northern Lights, produced by a solar geomagnetic storm, are seen over Haraldsted Lake near Ringsted.

When the particles interact with the gases in our atmosphere, they can produce light - blue and purple from nitrogen, green and red from oxygen.

The northern lights, also known as the Aurora Borealis, seen in the skies over the refuge hut on the causeway leading to Holy Island in Northumberland, the North East coast of England, early Friday, Oct. 10, 2024

Solar activity increases and decreases in a cycle that lasts about 11 years, astronomers say. The sun appears to be near the peak of that cycle, known as a solar maximum. It's not clear exactly when the cycle will begin to slow.

Northern lights illuminate the sky over Haraldsted Lake near Ringsted, Denmark, Oct. 10, 2024.

In May, the sun shot out its biggest flare in almost two decades. That came days after severe solar storms pummeled Earth and triggered auroras in unaccustomed places across the Northern Hemisphere.

The northern lights as seen from Koehool in the Netherlands, Oct. 11, 2024.

NOAA advises those who hope to see the northern lights to get away from city lights.

The northern lights are seen over a crumbling, abandoned farmhouse near Marquette, KS., Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024.

The best viewing time is usually within an hour or two before or after midnight, and the agency says the best occasions are around the spring and fall equinoxes due to the way the solar wind interacts with Earth's magnetic field.

The Northern Lights, also known as aurora borealis, caused by a strong solar storm, lights the sky over an alley of art objects resembling space rockets at the art park in the village of Nikola-Lenivets, Kaluga region, Russia, Oct. 11, 2024.

The Northern Lights, also known as aurora borealis, caused by a strong solar storm, light the sky near the Bobur art installation at the art park in the village of Nikola Lenivets, Kaluga region, Russia, Oct. 11, 2024.

Aurora borealis, or northern lights, produced by a solar geomagnetic storm are seen from Shenandoah National Park in Rileyville, Virginia, on Oct. 10, 2024.

Aurora borealis, or northern lights, produced by a solar geomagnetic storm are seen from Shenandoah National Park in Rileyville, Virginia, on Oct. 10, 2024.

Aurora borealis, or northern lights, produced by a solar geomagnetic storm are seen from Shenandoah National Park in Rileyville, Virginia

An aurora borealis, also known as the northern lights, makes an appearance over pumpjacks as they draw out oil and gas from well heads near Cremona, Alberta, Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024.

People watch as an aurora borealis, also known as the northern lights, lights up the night sky from Montrose Point, Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024.

Northern Lights, also known as aurora borealis, light up the sky in Portland, Maine, U.S., Oct.10, 2024, in this still image obtained from a social media video.

The Northern Lights illuminate the night sky over Great Chart Church in Ashford, Britain, Thursday Oct. 10, 2024.

A view of northern lights over the skies of Sodankyla, Lapland, Finland, Oct. 7, 2024.

A view of northern lights over the skies of Sodankyla, Lapland, Finland, Oct. 7, 2024.

The aurora borealis, also known as the northern lights, light up the sky over an old grain elevator in Brant, Alberta, Canada Oct. 7, 2024.

The aurora borealis, also known as the northern lights, light up the sky over a farmer's grain bins near Herronton, Alberta, Canada Oct.7, 2024.

The aurora borealis, also known as the northern lights, light up the sky over an old elevator in Herronton, Alberta, Canada, Oct. 7, 2024.