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Photos: See the Northern lights from rare solar storm

By NPR Staff,

Geoff Brumfiel

Published May 11, 2024 at 1:49 AM EDT

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Christchurch, New Zealand: People look at the Aurora Australis, also known as the Southern Lights, in Rolleston on May 11, 2024.

The largest geomagnetic storm in nearly two decades is hitting Earth's atmosphere. It's producing a beautiful glow in the sky all over the world.

A sunspot has sent a stream of charged particles towards Earth.

As those particles hit the Earth's atmosphere they will be heated and start glowing producing beautiful aurora.

Lisa Upton is with the Southwest Research Institute. Social media is already filling with photos from places like Finland, Russia, Germany and New Zealand, which catches the same effect in the southern hemisphere. It's not clear how far down in the U.S. the aurora will spread, but Upton is keeping an eye out in Colorado.

Space weather forecasters expect the solar storm to peak overnight, but it will last throughout the weekend.

Brunswick, Maine: The northern lights flare in the sky over a farmhouse, late Friday, May 10, 2024.

Estacada, Ore.: In this image taken with a long exposure, cars pass by as people look at the night sky towards the northern lights, or Aurora Borealis, on Friday, May 10, 2024, in Estacada, Ore.

Lake Berryessa, Calif.: The blinking lights of a plane streak through the aurora borealis, also known as the northern lights, which is visible on May 11, 2024.

London, Ontario: People stop along a country road near London, Ontario to watch the Northern lights or aurora borealis during a geomagnetic storm on May 10, 2024.

Brandenburg, Germany: Light green and slightly reddish auroras glow in the night sky.

Whitley Bay, England: People visit St Mary's lighthouse in Whitley Bay to see the aurora borealis, commonly known as the northern lights.

Saxony-Anhalt, Schierke, Germany: Northern lights can be seen from the Brocken. The natural spectacle is particularly intense on Saturday night.

Rochester, N.Y: Northern Lights light up the sky on May 11, 2024.

Hesse, Germany: Northern lights appear in the night sky over the Pferdskopf near Treisberg in the Hochtaunus district of Hesse.

Mount Mitchell, N.C.: Unusual sun activity created a G5 Geostorm on Earth sparks northern lights on May 10, 2024.

London, Ontario: Northern lights or aurora borealis illuminate the night sky near London, Ontario, during a geomagnetic storm on May 10, 2024.

Debrad, Slovakia: Northern lights illuminate the sky May 11, 2024.

Eindhoven, Ukraine: Northern lights illuminate the sky in Eindhoven, Ukraine, May 10, 2024.

Liseleje, Denmark: Northern lights illuminate the sky in Liseleje, Denmark on May 11, 2024.

Markville, Minnesota: The northern lights glow in the sky over St. Croix State Forest late Friday, May 10, 2024.

Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine: Northern lights light up the sky May 11, 2024.

Skidmore, Missouri: Old tombstones stand against the northern lights at a cemetery early Saturday, May 11, 2024.

Middletown, California: Northern lights illuminate the night sky over a camper's tent north of San Francisco on May 11, 2024.

Estacada, Oregon: In this image taken with a long exposure, people look at the night sky towards the northern lights, or Aurora Borealis, on Friday, May 10, 2024.