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!
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! 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 for auroras around the globe!
The geomagnetic storming was due to no less than five coronal mass ejections (CMEs) that left the sun this week, during a flurry of X flares. These chunks of sun material struck Earth’s magnetic field, causing a display of auroras that extended as far south on the globe as Mexico.
Why did the solar storms happen? They happened because the sun is reaching the peak of its 11-year cycle of activity. 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.
The solar storm is still happening! Read the sun news
Submit your photo to EarthSky Community Photos here
View larger 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.View larger 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 larger at EarthSky Community Photos. | Patricia Evans caught the aurora over a 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!Marcy Curran captured the aurora on May 10, 2024, from Cheyenne, Wyoming. Thank you, Marcy!View larger 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!View larger 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 larger 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!
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.
Claudia Crowley
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About the Author:
Claudia Crowley proofs and edits EarthSky website material. She says working for EarthSky is the most exciting job she’s had except one other – which was editing space shuttle documentation at NASA JSC. After writing and editing manuals for Dell and other major companies, she moved to the technical support side during the wild early days of the Internet, and served as general manager at a small wireless ISP. Claudia is a space enthusiast and fan of science.
