Poles can admire the Northern Lights again. It will be a spectacular phenomenon
There is a chance that today, once again this week, Poles will be able to see the Northern Lights. This is due to a G4 class magnetic storm, which is the result of a coronal mass ejection (CME). This phenomenon was announced by, among others, experts from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, NASA, as well as the Polish popularizer of astronomy, Karol Wójcicki.
The aurora is expected to be caused by a strong X1.8-class solar flare. Forecasts indicate that observation conditions will be very favorable today. The sky over Poland is expected to be mostly cloudless, which will create ideal conditions for observing this spectacular phenomenon.
The northern lights will be visible over Poland again. When to watch it?
As Live Science reports, G4-class magnetic storms like the one predicted for today can be not only spectacular, but also affect technologies such as satellites and communications systems. NOAA warns of possible disruptions to radio communications and impacts to navigation systems.
A similar phenomenon occurred just a few days ago, when the aurora appeared over Poland, surprising astronomy enthusiasts and photographers. At that time we were also dealing with a G4 class magnetic storm.
Observing the aurora borealis at latitudes such as Poland is not an everyday event, which is why every forecast arouses great interest. Space.com emphasizes that the current solar activity is exceptionally intense, which may indicate the approaching peak of the solar cycle, known as solar maximum. According to some scientists, the maximum of this cycle may have already begun, even though its beginning was originally predicted for 2025.
The northern lights will be visible over Poland again. How to watch it?
Karol Wójcicki, who runs the popular blog “With your head in the stars”, encourages everyone to go outside the city to fully experience this phenomenon away from artificial light. It is worth remembering that we do not need specialized equipment to observe the northern lights – appropriate weather conditions, dark skies and patience are enough.
For those who want to capture this phenomenon in photos, Wójcicki advises to prepare well the photographic equipment, charge the batteries and use the possibilities offered by technology to capture the aurora borealis in its full glory.
The aurora borealis, also known as the aurora borealis in the northern hemisphere and aurora australis in the southern hemisphere, is the result of the interaction of charged particles from the sun with the Earth’s atmosphere. CMEs, or coronal mass ejections, are huge clouds of plasma emitted from the solar corona during solar activity.
When these particles collide with Earth’s magnetosphere, they are directed towards the poles, where they interact with nitrogen and oxygen atoms, creating spectacular light shows visible in the night sky. As a result of these interactions, characteristic green, red, and sometimes even purple bands of light are created.