If you’ve seen glowing streaks of green, pink, or purple dancing across the sky lately, that’s not just nature showing off — that’s the sun sending energy our way.

Auroras, also known as the northern (or southern) lights, are the result of solar outbursts — bursts of charged particles that stream from the sun and interact with Earth’s magnetic field. When those particles reach our atmosphere, they collide with gases like oxygen and nitrogen, creating the colorful light displays we can see from the ground.

Solar energy travels outward from the sun and is guided toward Earth’s poles by our planet’s magnetic shield. That’s why auroras are most visible in northern and southern regions — but during stronger solar storms, they can sometimes be spotted much farther south than usual.

These bursts of energy are known as coronal mass ejections (CMEs). While they make for stunning visuals, they also remind us of how powerful the sun can be.

In rare, extreme cases, intense solar activity can cause power grid interruptions or satellite communication issues here on Earth. Thankfully, there’s no concern for that right now — so if you have a chance to see the aurora, enjoy it safely from the ground.

What to Know- Fast Forecast Facts

Auroras form when charged particles from the sun collide with Earth’s atmosphere.
These solar outbursts can produce breathtaking northern lights across the globe.
In rare, extreme cases, geomagnetic storms can disrupt satellites and power grids.
No major solar disruptions are expected right now — just beautiful skies for some lucky viewers!

Fun Fact

The color of the aurora depends on which gas the solar particles collide with:

Green comes from oxygen about 60 miles above Earth.
Red and purple hues appear higher up, where nitrogen plays a role.

Northern lights shine across US, including in parts of the South

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