Our own Will Triggs in the UK – producer of one of our most popular videos on YouTube this week – also captured auroras last night. Magnificent! Thank you, Will! We’ve received so many aurora pics! See a collection of favorites here.
Auroras last night!
On Friday, May 10, 2024, space weather forecasters began predicting a “severe” solar storm. When it came, it was even stronger than predicted, at “extreme” levels. So many people saw amazing displays of auroras last night from places at latitudes as low as Mexico, the Bahamas, western Africa, New Zealand, Australia, Chile and Argentina. Wonderful that so many got to see it! And the images came pouring in. The ones on this page are just a taste of what we received at EarthSky Community Photos, and in our social media feeds. Thank you to all who submitted photos! What a night!
Why did the solar storms happen? The overall reason is that the sun is reaching the peak of its 11-year cycle of activity. This cycle is called Solar Cycle 25. Watch our livestream from last Monday – a conversation with EarthSky founder Deborah Byrd and NASA heliophysicist C. Alex Young – on why the sun has been blasting so many X flares.
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Patricia Evans caught the aurora over Nubble Lighthouse in Cape Neddick, Maine, on May 10, 2024. Patricia wrote: “I watched as the ripples of color changed and danced across the sky. It was so much fun to hear all the ‘oooohs’ and ‘ahhhhs’ and oh wows from fellow onlookers!” Thank you, Patricia!View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Julie Lanter in Claryville, Kentucky, caught the aurora on May 10, 2024. Julie wrote: “The aurora borealis? In Kentucky? What a rare, unexpected sight!” Thank you, Julie!Marty Curran in Cheyenne, Wyoming captured this stunning view of the auroras last night (night of May 10-11, 2024) from an extreme solar storm. Thank you, Marty!View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Aurora as seen from Cheyenne, Wyoming, early on May 11, 2024, by Marcy Curran. Marcy wrote: “What an incredible geomagnetic storm. This is with my cell phone from our deck. I am glad my husband woke me up and said, ‘You need to see this.'” Thank you, Marcy.Marcy Curran captured the aurora on May 10, 2024, from Cheyenne, Wyoming. Thank you, Marcy!View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Roy Trugler captured the aurora from Little Sebago Lake, Gray, Maine, on May 10, 2024. Roy wrote: “Northern lights in Maine.” Thank you, Roy!Paul Scott Anderson caught the aurora on May 10, 2024, from Vancouver, Canada. Paul wrote: “I’m starting to see the auroras more easily by eye, too. Even better in iPhone night mode!” Thank you, Paul.
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | David Hawkes in Sheffield, UK, caught the aurora on May 11, 2024. David wrote: “I had read about possible Aurora tonight in the UK due to the various CMEs hitting earth and thought maybe there was a chance of seeing something. Not something I’ve witnessed before, so one off the bucket list! What a light show!” Thank you, David.View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Daniel Wiegert caught this view of the May 10-11, 2024, aurora from Glommen, Sweden. Daniel wrote: “I have never experienced auroras towards the south at this latitude before. Most action was in the southwestern direction (and straight up).” Thank you, Daniel!View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Chuck Reinhart in Vincennes, Indiana, caught the aurora on May 10, 2024. Chuck wrote: “This is a view of the Northern Lights from my yard in Vincennes, Indiana. The camera’s sensor records colors the eye can’t see.” Thank you, Chuck!EarthSky’s Will Triggs captured this photo of the aurora from just east of London, UK on May 10, 2024. Thanks, Will!EarthSky’s Will Triggs captured this photo of the aurora from just east of London, UK on May 10, 2024. Thanks, Will!EarthSky’s Theresa Wiegert captured this photo from Brockville, Canada, on May 10, 2024. Thanks, Theresa!EarthSky’s Kelly Kizer Whitt captured this photo of the aurora just in front of a lightning storm in Madison, Wisconsin. Thanks, Kelly!EarthSky’s Theresa Wiegert captured this photo from Brockville, Canada, on May 10, 2024. Thanks, Theresa!EarthSky’s Raúl Cortes captured this image from Zacatecas, Mexico on May 10, 2024. Thanks. Raúl!EarthSky’s Theresa Wiegert captured this photo from Brockville, Canada, on May 10, 2024. Thanks, Theresa!
Bottom line: Auroras last night (night of May 10-11, 2024) from “extreme” geomagnetic storming – which came after a week of very high activity on the sun – wowed millions around the globe.
