Written by: Corey Verkouteren (csv002@marietta.edu)
Auroras are often associated with the icy North, but some lucky few got to see them as far south as Georgia recently. On Thursday, October 10th, 2024, the Nothern lights were brought to Marietta and the surrounding area during the G4 class solar storm.
The event was reminiscent of the auroras that were seen earlier this year in May, where they could be seen even further South, thanks to a stronger G5 solar storm. Relatively high solar activity recently suggests we might see more of them before the 2024-year ends.
So why are we hearing about so many auroras? The sun follows an 11-year cycle, where the poles flip throughout those 11 years. The recent increase in solar activity signified the start of Solar Cycle 25 and the magnetic fields beginning to flip. This cycle is expected to have peak activity, called a solar maximum, around July of 2025. During these periods of high activity, we see an increase of coronal mass ejections, which are the cause of auroras. After that, we’ll see a decline in solar activity, so make sure to be on the lookout for future events with an app or website.
Unfortunately, the Northern Lights within the Marietta area were largely obscured by light pollution, but those in more rural areas had a chance to see it. Due to our distance from the North Pole and elevation, the aurora appeared like a red tint or smudge to the North. This is due to the oxygen that reacts with the solar charged particles being less concentrated, allowing the low-frequency red light to make it into the visible atmosphere.
If you missed the aurora, do not fret! Another sight can be seen in this week’s (10/14/24-10/18/24) sky: the Tsuchinshan-ATLAS Comet. This comet is very rare, last coming around Earth 80,000 years ago. To catch this once-in-a-lifetime event, look to where the sun sets (West) around 7:30 or 8:00p.m. The comet will be slowly moving higher in the sky as it gets further away, but there is still some time left to catch it before it fades!
Edited by (zdw001@marietta.edu)
