The northern lights are caused by the solar wind, a stream of charged particles from the sun that interacts with Earth’s magnetic field. As charged particles strike Earth’s magnetic field, they accelerate down its magnetic field lines at the north and south poles, exciting particles in the atmosphere to create ovals of green and red.
Archiv: Auroras (magnetic atmospheric phenomenon) / Polarlichter
Early riser! The Sun is already starting its next solar cycle
(July 19, 2024)
The current solar cycle, named Cycle 25 because it is the 25th since 1755 when extensive recording of solar sunspot activity began, started in 2019.
It is not expected to end for another six years but the first signs that the next solar cycle is beginning have been spotted by researchers from the University of Birmingham and presented at the Royal Astronomical Society‘s National Astronomy Meeting in Hull.
Interactive: Why auroras are surging during one of the weakest solar cycles in 126 years
(February 12, 2026)
Scientists call the current cycle Solar Cycle 25, the 25th numbered cycle since recordkeeping began in the 1700s. Even though it may feel like the northern lights have been more common in recent years, Solar Cycle 25 ranks among the lowest of the past 126 years.
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Earth’s magnetic field has been slowly weakening for more than a century, which means our natural shield isn’t quite as strong as it used to be. That doesn’t create solar storms, but it can change how much of that energy actually makes it through when a strong one hits.
Physics Professor Gerard Fasel and Seaver Students Present Solar-Terrestrial Interactions at the American Geophysical Union Conference
(January 13, 2026)
Coining the term “near-Earth astrophysics,” Fasel has devoted much of his career to investigating solar-terrestrial interactions between the Sun and Earth, using the aurora borealis to obtain clues regarding the coupling mechanisms between the solar wind and the Earth’s terrestrial magnetic field.
“Stars have winds,” says Fasel. “And this includes our Sun. While solar wind is a relatively continuous stream of particles that interact with the Earth’s magnetic field, the Sun can also produce powerful solar storms. These storms expel billions of charged particles [plasma] coupled to magnetic fields, called coronal mass ejections, which bang up into the Earth’s magnetic field.”
The Earth’s magnetic field lines, Fasel explains, “act like wires” on which these particles travel down into the Earth’s upper atmosphere, specifically the ionosphere. The aurora is an end result of this interaction, where high-energy electrons collide with oxygen to produce green light, while those of lower energy produce a raspberry-red color.
Watch: Auroras Light Up Skies Worldwide
November 13, 2025
People across the United States weren’t the only ones treated to a spectacular celestial show. This week’s intense geomagnetic storm illuminated the night sky around the world. Check out some of the most stunning displays from Europe to Mongolia to Australia.
Early riser! The Sun is already starting its next solar cycle
(July 19, 2024)
The current solar cycle, named Cycle 25 because it is the 25th since 1755 when extensive recording of solar sunspot activity began, started in 2019.
It is not expected to end for another six years but the first signs that the next solar cycle is beginning have been spotted by researchers from the University of Birmingham and presented at the Royal Astronomical Society‘s National Astronomy Meeting in Hull.
The next solar cycle – Solar Cycle 26 – is already beginning
(July 23, 2024)
Solar max affects activity on the sun’s surface. Sunspots, flares and coronal mass ejections are all more rampant at solar maximum. This leads to a surge in electromagnetic energy hurtling toward Earth, making auroras visible more often and at lower altitudes.
The current solar cycle – Cycle 25 – started in 2019. It has the name Cycle 25 because it’s the 25th since 1755, when extensive recording of solar sunspot activity began.
It is not expected to end for another six years, but researchers have spotted the first signs that the next solar cycle is beginning. Researchers from the University of Birmingham presented their findings at the Royal Astronomical Society’s National Astronomy Meeting in Hull on July 18, 2024.
Aurora Borealis Displays STUNNED Americans Across the Country
The northern lights lit up the night sky across America on Tuesday, dazzling stargazers from New Hampshire to the heartland with eerie green and orange streaks of cosmic fire.
The U.S. saw vivid northern lights as far south as Florida — and more could be coming
The Aurora Borealis was spotted in a large swath of states, including Idaho, Iowa, Missouri, New Mexico, New York, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas and Washington state. Northern lights were visible as far south as parts of Florida and Alabama, a relatively rare occurrence that highlights the severity of this week‘s storms.
Rare solar storm lights up Northern California skies
A surge in solar activity fueled the vibrant display as the sun reached the peak of its 11-year solar cycle, a period marked by a sharp increase in sunspots and geomagnetic storms.
Around 2019–2020, the sun was at its quietest point; however, with more frequent bursts of solar wind erupting from those sunspots, Earth is now experiencing more substantial and more frequent auroral events.
Farbenfrohes Himmelsphänomen: Polarlichter über Baden-Württemberg
Etwas Besonderes sind die Polarlichter in Süddeutschland auch, weil sie kein häufiges Phänomen sind. Skandinavien ist für die Sonnenstürme bekannt. „Tatsächlich ist Polarlicht in Süddeutschland schon sehr, sehr selten“, sagt Liefke.
Northern Lights Are Seen in Places Where They Normally Aren’t
“The sun spit off a big blob of plasma,” Mr. Steenburgh said. The burst of energy, which has its own magnetic field, had been moving through space and reached Earth’s magnetic field on Sunday, when the two collided to create a geomagnetic storm, he said. “It got our magnetosphere pretty revved up.”
When this happens, the aurora can be seen closer to the Equator, Mr. Steenburgh said. Such events are not that uncommon, with about 100 occurring every 11 years, he said, adding that the storm can also disturb high frequency radio used at sea and by airlines.
A global environmental crisis 42,000 years ago
(19 Feb 2021)
Do terrestrial geomagnetic field reversals have an effect on Earth‘s climate? Cooper et al. created a precisely dated radiocarbon record around the time of the Laschamps geomagnetic reversal about 41,000 years ago from the rings of New Zealand swamp kauri trees. This record reveals a substantial increase in the carbon-14 content of the atmosphere culminating during the period of weakening magnetic field strength preceding the polarity switch. The authors modeled the consequences of this event and concluded that the geomagnetic field minimum caused substantial changes in atmospheric ozone concentration that drove synchronous global climate and environmental shifts.
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We precisely characterize the geomagnetic reversal and perform global chemistry-climate modeling and detailed radiocarbon dating of paleoenvironmental records to investigate impacts. We find that geomagnetic field minima ~42 ka, in combination with Grand Solar Minima, caused substantial changes in atmospheric ozone concentration and circulation, driving synchronous global climate shifts that caused major environmental changes, extinction events, and transformations in the archaeological record.
Erdmagnetfeld: Polwanderung veränderte das Weltklima
Ungefilterte Strahlung aus dem Weltraum zerriss Luftpartikel in der Erdatmosphäre, trennte Elektronen ab und emittierte Licht. Diese ionisierte Luft brutzelte die Ozonschicht weg, heißt es in einer Presseaussendung zur Studie. In Folge dürften überall auf dem Globus Polarlichter aufgetaucht sein, nicht nur rund um den geographischen Nord- und Südpol wie heute. (…)
Das Erdmagnetfeld schwächelt bereits seit rund 2.000 Jahren wieder. Verglichen mit den ersten direkten Messungen vor 170 Jahren wurde eine Abschwächung um neun Prozent festgestellt, im Bereich des Südatlantiks sogar um dreißig Prozent.
A severe geomagnetic storm could create rare ‚northern lights‘ sightings. Here’s what it means for Northern California
(23.04.2023)
Geomagnetic storms occur when energy from the sun’s outermost atmosphere disrupts Earth’s magnetic field, causing bands of green and red to light up the night sky. The natural electrical phenomenon is especially visible near the North Pole, but sometimes stretches lower into Canada and the northern United States, where it is often captured by wildfire cameras.
Scots could see Northern Lights with aurora borealis ‚likely‘ tonight
(23.04.2023)
The natural light display – more typically visible in high-latitude regions around the Artic and Antarctic – is better seen in a dark location with no light pollution, with cloudless skies.
The atmospheric phenomenon is caused when solar particles from the sun collide with Earth‘s atmosphere. These energised particles combine with nitrogen and oxygen molecules, which send them into an excited state.
Years ago at the South Pole, I looked up to the aurora for inspiration through the 6-month winter night. Now I know they’re just as awe inspiring from above. #nofilter
(10.06.2019)
auroras over the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station
(08.06.2019)
Starry nights: Where to see the Aurora Australis in New Zealand
Starry nights: New Zealand is often hailed as one of the best places in the world for stargazing. And now‘s the time, with the Aurora Australis dancing through the southern hemisphere ’til September.
Beauty of Jupiter’s auroras revealed by Hubble telescope
Jupiter’s auroras are huge and hundreds of times more energetic than auroras on Earth – and they never stop, thanks to the planet’s strong magnetic field.
Watch as astronauts soar over an Aurora Borealis in the space station
Space is a remarkable place, and right now, NASA astronaut Scott Kelly has the best seat in the house for watching its cosmic wonders unfold. Last night, Kelly posted a brief video to let us join in on his incredible view as he soared over a stunning Aurora Borealis from aboard the International Space Station at roughly 17,000 mph.
Animation of solar wind impacting the magnetosphere and creating aurora
(Video)
Aurora Oddity: Northern Lights Display Dazzles Without Big Sun Flare
„Sometimes the sky surprises us,“ astronomer Tony Phillips wrote on Spaceweather.com. „On Feb. 14-15, with little warning, geomagnetic activity rippled around the Arctic Circle, producing an outbreak of auroras that veteran observers said was among the best in months.“
Powerful Solar Storm sets off amazing Northern Lights Show
Lights Over Lapland photographer Chad Blakley captured this amazing view of the aurora borealis in Sweden on January 24th, 2012. The January 23rd solar flare and ensuing coronal mass ejection are the ‚lighting engineers‘ of this incredible display.