On the evening of May 10th to the early hours of May 11th, a rare aurora borealis was observed in China, Europe, and the United States as a result of a massive geomagnetic storm triggered by the eruption of Earth’s magnetic field.
The China National Space Weather Monitoring and Early Warning Center issued a notice at 9:32 a.m. on May 11th, forecasting moderate to high solar activity levels in the next three days, which could lead to minor to severe geomagnetic storms, even including potentially massive ones.
According to the notice, in the past 24 hours, there have been 3 hours of extremely large geomagnetic storms and 6 hours of massive geomagnetic storms. The Kp (three-hour magnetic activity index) reached a maximum value of 9, with the rest of the time showing calm to slightly disturbed geomagnetic activity.
The geomagnetic activity is expected to continue until the 12th. This rare aurora phenomenon has been witnessed in multiple regions globally, including a wider range than usual within China.
As of 5:00 on the 11th, the Kp index has reached 9, indicating that the current geomagnetic storm event has officially escalated to the highest level of a severe geomagnetic storm (G5 level), according to the Chinese astronomical department.
The mesmerizing auroras have been spotted across various areas in China, including Xinjiang Altay, Heilongjiang Mohe, Beijing, Inner Mongolia, Gansu, among others, with people capturing videos and photos to commemorate the phenomenon.
On the night of May 10th, citizens in countries such as the UK, US, Australia, Germany, Canada, New Zealand, and Japan also witnessed the rare auroras, with many sharing beautiful images on the internet.
Reports from international media outlets confirm that numerous European countries, including Denmark and Germany, also saw the enchanting auroras.
In the UK, locations like Scotland, Manchester, Liverpool, Kent, Norfolk, and Sussex in England saw citizens capturing the auroras on camera.
Residents in Alabama in the southeastern US and northern California along the Pacific coast also recorded the spectacular auroras.
The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration warned that such a large-scale storm might impact critical infrastructure like satellites and power grids.
Photographer “Sean O’Riordan” described the auroras witnessed off the coast of Tasmania in southeastern Australia as unprecedented in color, requiring adjustments to camera settings to accurately capture the vivid hues.
From Norway, “Lin Xiaonuan Bella” expressed disbelief at seeing the auroras during an usually improbable season, expressing awe at the breathtaking beauty and unique natural wonder of the phenomenon.
Similarly, “Love’s Wonderful World” from Canada shared astonishment at witnessing the auroras sweeping across the entire country for the first time, highlighting the impactful experience.
It is said that this aurora event is the most powerful since October 29-30, 2003, and the peak of the geomagnetic storm is expected to gradually subside after noon on the 12th.
While the auroras are stunning, red auroras were considered ill omens by ancient Chinese. Tang Dynasty Daoist Li Chunfeng wrote in the astrological book “Yisi Zhan” that a red sky signifies various calamities such as war, famine, injustice, political upheaval, and bloodshed.
Chinese experts like Professor Zhang Tianliang from New York Flying University have analyzed that in ancient China, the aurora borealis was referred to as “red gas,” with red symbolizing danger. According to the concept of unity between heaven and man, witnessing auroras at mid to low latitudes indicates significant events unfolding in the human world.