Strong geomagnetic storm sparks aurora all over Europe

Monday, 6 November 2023 17:22 UTC

Down below we will share some images that we have seen from this storm but first let's quickly recap what happened. At 08:10 UTC yesterday we observed the first solar wind shock signaling the arrival of a coronal mass ejection likely launched on 2 November. The total strength (Bt) of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) reached an impressive 34nT with a maximum southward Bz component of -27nT but the solar wind speed never got much higher than 400km/s.

A second even strong shock in the solar wind was observed at 11:46 UTC and really threw everything into overdrive. The total strength of the IMF reached a rarely seen high of 45nT and gradually decreased during the remainder of the day. The Bz component started northward surprising geomagnetic activity but rotated southward to about -15 to -20nT for 4 hours during the UTC afternoon. with a solar wind speed of about 500km/s during the period. This fueled our magnetosphere with energy and vivid aurora displays erupted at many middle latitude locations all around the globe.

Header image: SpaceWeatherLive.com's webmaster Sander Vancanneyt (Belgium)

4K time-lapse looking west of the sub-auroral red arc overhead in Illinois. Never seen it so stable and stationary for hours on end before! pic.twitter.com/JUnlXQcLvH

— Landon Moeller (@landon_wx) November 6, 2023

Hundreds of reports of Northern Lights coming in from multiple locations across Europe. A G2 geomagnetic storm is ongoing currently. This footage is from Stanča, southeastern Slovakia.

pic.twitter.com/NUL9NTSOXq

— Nahel Belgherze (@WxNB_) November 5, 2023

Hands down the Aurora is one of the coolest things I’ve ever seen, and in Victoria, Australia no less! pic.twitter.com/S1FijZy3rw

— Dr. Sara Webb (@SaraWebbScience) November 6, 2023

Stunning! The red and green auroras were dancing together in harmony in #Mohe, north China's #Heilongjiang Province on the evening of Nov 5. This is the first time that green #aurora dancing has been recorded on video in #China. pic.twitter.com/vva8LcULgF

— Shanghai Daily (@shanghaidaily) November 6, 2023

Last night's flight into Fairbanks, Alaska was EPIC! The way the auroras danced had me glued to my window the whole time.

The auroras were welcoming me home :)@AlaskaAir AS97 SEA-FAI over Wrangell, Alaska@TamithaSkov @StoryfulViral @capitalweather #northernlights pic.twitter.com/SH1LZTWw91

— Vincent Ledvina (@Vincent_Ledvina) November 6, 2023

Bright substorm over Alix moments ago !! #aurora #northernlights #teamtanner @dartanner pic.twitter.com/1UiEpxdLx4

— ᴛʀᴇᴇ ᴛᴀɴɴᴇʀ (@treetanner) November 6, 2023

First one of these I’ve ever captured in the UK called a “STEVE” Nature at its very best last night putting on its own fireworks https://t.co/qjUIiJ7xew @TamithaSkov more pictures @PA @ChronicleLive @StormHour #northernlights #aurora pic.twitter.com/kLlXqpdfU4

— Owen Humphreys (@owenhumphreys1) November 6, 2023

Mother Natures Firework Display
A whopper of a display on Anglesey tonight
Penmon Lighthouse
my girlfriend was happy to see one of the best displays of the northern lights in a long time #WexMondays #sharemondays2023 #fsprintmonday#StormHour #Auroraborealis #anglesey pic.twitter.com/ysvRai9puV

— Gareth Mon Jones (@gazmon1980) November 6, 2023

Tonight had the strongest Northern Lights I've ever seen!
I'm chasing them now for nearly 6 years on almost every winter night, but I have never seen the oxygen red as strong to the naked eye before pic.twitter.com/jPpP6DjVTB

— Max Wernerson (@welloffthetrack) November 6, 2023

Coronal hole faces Earth

A coronal hole was facing Earth yesterday. Expect a high speed solar wind stream to arrive at Earth late tomorrow or on 8 November.

A southern hemisphere coronal hole is facing Earth. Enhanced solar wind could arrive in ~3 days - Follow live on https://t.co/bsXLidnzGh pic.twitter.com/qlMw3APbzw

— SpaceWeatherLive (@_SpaceWeather_) November 5, 2023