Northern lights possible as huge solar flare spotted
Solar flares do not cause the Northern Lights. They are caused by a phenomenon called coronal mass ejections (CMEs) that erupt from an active sun spot.
Combined with flares, they can create solar storms that interact with Earth’s magnetic field or magnetosphere.
The CMEs spew out plasma and magnetic field, and up to billions of ton of material, that can hit Earth. As our magnetosphere repels the storm, it creates the aurora.
“There is the potential for a coronal mass ejection to arrive at Earth late on Friday or early on Saturday, which could lead to visible aurora for Scotland, Northern Ireland and parts of northern England,” said Met Office Space Weather Manager Krista Hammond.
A second CME is likely to hit Earth on Saturday and Sunday, associated with the solar flare which is rated X9.
That means “enhanced auroral visibility is possible further south across central England and similar latitudes, though cloud and rain could hamper viewing potential for some,” says Krista Hammond.
In the US, aurora might be seen in the northern states, and from the mid-west to Oregon, according to NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Centre.
The X9 solar flare emitted is the largest categorised by Nasa. The smallest is B, followed by C, M, and X. The scale ranks from 1 to 9, so X9 is the most powerful in Nasa’s ranking.
