Another coronal mass ejection from the sun could make the northern lights visible again over parts of New England on Friday night. Even if the geomagnetic aurora borealis isn’t lighting up the skies over Massachusetts, there’s still an incredible opportunity to see a different solar phenomenon. Three weeks ago, a solar storm erupted from a huge sunspot cluster, causing the colorful aurora to be more powerful and visible further south than normal. Sky watchers in Massachusetts saw beautiful greens and pinks in the night sky. The same sunspot cluster orbits the sun and is now visible from Earth again. According to the Center for Space Weather Prediction, it produced a strong, long-lasting flare on Wednesday morning. In anticipation of material from this coronal mass ejection reaching Earth, the SWPC has issued a G2 geomagnetic storm watch. That’s significantly weaker than the G5 storm that brought the northern lights to Massachusetts earlier this month, but strong enough to potentially make the aurora visible over parts of the United States. “Auroras may become visible over some northern and upper Midwest states from New York to Idaho,” SWPC said. Skies over Massachusetts are expected to be mostly clear overnight, but unfortunately, the strength of this event doesn’t seem likely to put on the same show for our region as it did last time. However, anyone who still has a pair of solar eclipse glasses over this April wonder can go outside today and see a different solar spectacle. When viewed safely through these eclipse glasses, the sunspot from which the recent flare erupted can be seen as a dark spot on the sun.
Another coronal mass ejection from the sun could make the northern lights visible again over parts of New England on Friday night. Even if the geomagnetic aurora borealis isn’t lighting up the skies over Massachusetts, there’s still an incredible opportunity to see a different solar phenomenon.
Three weeks ago, a solar storm erupted from a huge sunspot cluster, causing the colorful aurora to be more powerful and visible further south than normal. Sky watchers in Massachusetts saw beautiful greens and pinks in the night sky.
The same sunspot cluster orbits the sun and is now visible from Earth again. According to the Center for Space Weather Prediction, it produced a strong, long-lasting flare on Wednesday morning.
In anticipation of material from this coronal mass ejection reaching Earth, the SWPC has issued a G2 geomagnetic storm watch. That’s significantly weaker than the G5 storm that brought the northern lights to Massachusetts earlier this month, but strong enough to potentially make the aurora visible over parts of the United States.
“Auroras may become visible over some northern and upper Midwest states from New York to Idaho,” SWPC said.
Skies over Massachusetts are expected to be mostly clear overnight, but unfortunately the strength of this event doesn’t look likely to create the same kind of show for our region as it did last time.
But anyone who still has a pair of solar eclipse glasses left over from that April miracle can go outside today and see a different solar spectacle.
When viewed safely through these eclipse glasses, the sunspot from which the recent flare erupted can be seen as a dark spot on the sun.
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