The Night the Whole World Saw the Aurora
In May 2024, people in places that never see the northern lights, from Mexico to northern India, looked up to see pink and green skies.
What was reported
On the night of 10 May 2024, a series of huge eruptions from the Sun hit Earth's magnetic field, causing the strongest geomagnetic storm in more than 20 years. Auroras were seen much further from the poles than usual: across Europe, the whole United States, Mexico, southern China, Namibia and New Zealand's far north.
Many people discovered that their phone cameras showed the colours even more vividly than their eyes, and social media filled with pink and purple skies.
Explanations offered
The storm was caused by several coronal mass ejections, clouds of charged particles thrown out by a very active group of sunspots. Strong storms like this can disrupt satellites, radio and power grids, though damage in 2024 was limited. The Sun was near the peak of its 11-year cycle.
- When
- 10–11 May 2024
- Where
- Mexico City, Mexico
- Witnesses
- Millions of people around the world
- Status
- Explained
Famous cases are real, widely reported events. Each file sets out what witnesses said and the explanations that have been offered, without taking a side.
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