A celestial light show could be on the horizon for Canada on Thursday night as the sun has unleashed three coronal mass ejections (CME) heading towards Earth. CMEs are massive bursts of particles from the sun that move swiftly on the solar wind and can trigger the dazzling aurora borealis in the northern hemisphere or aurora australis in the southern hemisphere when they interact with Earth’s magnetic field.
These solar storms, originating from sunspot area 4246, were observed within the last day or so, according to Tamitha Skov, a space weather expert at Millersville University. The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) warns of a potential moderate geomagnetic storm late on Oct. 16 GMT, affecting western regions during the evening hours.
While the exact timing of the storm’s impact remains uncertain, it may extend into Friday but with diminished intensity. Unlike the spectacular displays seen in 2024, this storm is expected to reach only a moderate intensity level on the geomagnetic storm scale, landing at G2.
To increase chances of witnessing the auroras, individuals are advised to seek out dark-sky locations away from urban lights with clear views of the northern horizon. Specific conditions must align for the lights to be visible further south than usual, including Earth-directed CMEs, fast solar winds, and a southerly dip in the auroral hole.
To track aurora visibility in their area, people can utilize apps like Aurora Alerts and Aurora Forecast. While this event may not match the brilliance of past displays, skygazers are encouraged to keep an eye out for the potential celestial spectacle.
