The Sun had a bit of a meltdown on Tuesday, spewing massive streams of high-energy particles into space. Outbursts like this follow an eleven-year cycle, of which we’re just now nearing the peak.
This week’s event was classified as a G4, or severe, solar storm (there was a G5 storm last May). These events are so powerful they can trigger terrestrial blackouts and temporarily disable satellites.
But the most interesting and aesthetically beautiful results are the Aurora Borealis, or Northern Lights, the beautiful colors lighting up the nighttime skies. This week’s barrage was so massive that the lights were visible as far south as Alabama.
This New York Times article, which I’ve summarized above, provides a dazzling portfolio of photographs and videos of the Northern Lights as seen from locations around the world.