THE STORM IS SUBSIDING: A severe G4-class geomagnetic storm that sparked auroras over Europe, China, and most of the United States on April 23-24 is subsiding. The storm was caused by a CME hitting Earth's magnetic field. Minor (G1) to moderate (G2) geomagnetic storm remain possible on April 24-25 as Earth exits the CME's wake. Aurora alerts: SMS Text.
HOW LOW DID THE NORTHERN LIGHTS GO? Arriving earlier than expected, a CME hit Earth's magnetic field on April 23rd at 1737 UT, sparking a severe G4-class geomagnetic storm. Northern lights spilled out of the Arctic Circle to unusually low latitudes. The southernmost report we have received so far comes from Terlingua (+29.5N) on the Texas side of the US-Mexican border:
"I was out shooting wide angle astro in the Big Bend region of Texas on March 23rd when I saw the alerts of the severe geomagnetic storm," says photographer Brad Dwight. "I decided to point my camera to the north just to see if I could see anything. After 11pm local time these pillars just exploded into view."
In neighboring Arizona, David Blanchard made a video of the geomagnetic glow:
"It was a spectacular display here in Flagstaff (+35.2N)," says Blanchard. "The video covers the period 0354-0512 UTC on April 24th."
Other notable low-latitude sightings include southern California (+32.5N), Arkansas (+35.1 N), Colorado (+38N), Utah (+40.8N), Oklahoma (+36.3N), North Carolina (+36.2N), Tennessee (+35.4N), New Mexico (+35.9N) and Nebraska (+40.6N). In Europe, research cameras captured red auroras near the Mediterranean coast of Spain (+37N).
Auroras over Sturgis, South Dakota (+44.4N), were so big and intense, they surrounded onlookers in all directions. "They were everywhere," says photographer Chris Yushta, "so I took a 360 degree panorama and turned it into a Panosphere."
"The auroras were incredible!" says Yushta.
Did you miss the storm? Subscribers to our Space Weather Alert service received instant text messages when the CME arrived and when the subsequent storm erupted. Solar Cycle 25 is just getting started, so this will happen again. Make sure you don't miss the next storm!
Realtime Aurora Photo Gallery
Free: Spaceweather.com Newsletter
SILVER SNOOPY SPACE PENDANT: Snoopy has touched space. This sterling silver pendant flew to the stratosphere on April 15, 2023, floating on a cosmic ray balloon 117,400 feet above the Sierra Nevada mountains of central California:
You can have it for $159.95. Space Snoopy makes a great birthday, anniversary or Mother's day gift. The students of Earth to Sky Calculus are selling space pendants to support their cosmic ray ballooning program. Each one comes with a greeting card showing the pendant in flight and telling the story of its journey to the stratosphere and back again
Far Out Gifts: Earth to Sky Store
All sales support hands-on STEM education
Realtime Space Weather Photo Gallery
Free: Spaceweather.com Newsletter