Solar Storm Brings Northern Lights to Southern Canada and Beyond
A series of powerful solar storms recently graced the night skies, making the northern lights unusually visible even in regions far south. This dazzling display was caused by a geomagnetic storm , which not only illuminated Canada but also extended its colorful auroras to parts of the northern United States and Europe. The Solar Storm Phenomenon Solar storms occur due to the sun’s activity cycle, which spans approximately 11 years. During the solar maximum , more sunspots appear on the sun’s surface. These sunspots are cooler regions that appear black when observed through solar telescopes. However, they are more than mere spots—they represent an entanglement of magnetic fields that can erupt with a solar flare . Often, solar flares are followed by a coronal mass ejection (CME) —a massive burst of charged particles carried along the solar wind. In this recent case, the sun produced a series of CMEs, which are now heading toward Earth. The U.S.-based National Oceanic and Atmospheric
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