A series of strong solar flares spewed from the Sun’s surface sent a shockwave of magnetically charged plasma directly at the Earth producing extended vivid displays of colour across the skies.
The first extreme geomagnetic storm in two decades created a spectacular light show in UK skies on Friday night – and some parts of the country will get to witness a colourful display once again overnight.
Friday night’s event across parts of the Northern Hemisphere posed a threat to communication networks, navigation systems and power grids too.
Elon Musk’s Starlink, which owns around 60% of the estimated 7,500 satellites currently in orbit, providing internet coverage around the world, has warned of a “degraded service” as a result of the phenomena.
It was the first G5 or strongest-rated geomagnetic storm since 2003, which caused blackouts in Sweden and damaged transformers in South Africa.
So what caused the extreme geomagnetic storm?
A series of strong solar flares spewed from the Sun’s surface have sent a shockwave of magnetically charged plasma directly at the Earth, known as coronal mass ejections (CMEs).
The resulting collision has caused a major disturbance to our own planet’s magnetic field.
Does it pose a threat?
As well as producing extended vivid displays of colour across the skies in places the aurora borealis or Northern Lights cannot usually be seen, as witnessed in southern England, severe solar storms can also disrupt everyday communication and navigation systems.
The Sun’s energy has a direct impact on the Earth’s ionosphere, where the planet’s atmosphere meets space.
Changing conditions can affect satellites by increasing drag, while radio and GPS signals that travel through this layer of the atmosphere or rely on bouncing off it can also be disrupted.
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Severe solar storms can also create harmful geomagnetic induced currents in the power grid, leading to blackouts.
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The largest known geomagnetic event in history, known as the Carrington Event of 1859, caused telegraph machines to spark and catch fire.
How likely is it we will see the Northern Lights above the UK tonight?
Sky News weather presenter Kirsty McCabe, says: “There is a chance – but it’s not as likely as last night so unlikely to be as bright or seen as far south.
“America’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) classed Friday night’s solar storm as an extreme G5 – the highest level and first observed since 2003.