TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - As a powerful geomagnetic storm approaches Earth, skywatchers across the northern U.S. may be treated to a mesmerizing display of the northern lights on Thursday night.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has issued a G3, or strong, geomagnetic storm watch spanning Thursday and Friday. If current forecasts hold, the vibrant aurora borealis could become visible much farther south than its usual domain, potentially brushing skies near major hubs like Seattle, Chicago, and Boston, according to FOX Weather.
The heightened auroral activity comes after the Sun unleashed three powerful solar flares over the past few days. As reported by Space.com, the source of the activity is Earth-facing sunspot Region 4455, which produced an M9.3 flare, an M7.9 flare, and an X1 flare within less than 24 hours.
Space scientists believe the eruptions may have launched multiple coronal mass ejections (CMEs), which are massive bubbles of solar plasma, directly on a collision course with Earth. When these clouds of charged solar particles interact with Earth's magnetic field, they frequently trigger geomagnetic storms and generate the aurora borealis.
Nevertheless, scientists have yet to determine the exact arrival time and intensity of the incoming solar storms. As a result, the intensity and visibility of Thursday night's northern lights remain unpredictable.
Read: Giant Sunspot Could Bring Northern Lights Starting May 22
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