On the night of May 17, the sky witnessed two rare and unexpectedly coinciding phenomena: a sudden geomagnetic storm and a mysterious light feature piercing through the aurora borealis, leaving skywatchers in awe.
The moderate-level geomagnetic storm (G2) began early on Friday, May 16, after Earth was struck by a glancing blow from a coronal mass ejection (CME) caused by a massive solar eruption in the sun’s northern hemisphere on May 12.
Although initial forecasts suggested the CME would miss Earth, its bird-wing-like expanse exceeded predictions, allowing some of its material to reach Earth's atmosphere four days after the eruption.
The bigger surprise came when a bright white streak appeared in the skies over Colorado and other parts of the United States. At first, it resembled the rare aurora-associated phenomenon known as "STEVE." However, observers quickly realized it was something entirely different.
The moderate-level geomagnetic storm (G2) began early on Friday, May 16, after Earth was struck by a glancing blow from a coronal mass ejection (CME) caused by a massive solar eruption in the sun’s northern hemisphere on May 12.
Although initial forecasts suggested the CME would miss Earth, its bird-wing-like expanse exceeded predictions, allowing some of its material to reach Earth's atmosphere four days after the eruption.
The bigger surprise came when a bright white streak appeared in the skies over Colorado and other parts of the United States. At first, it resembled the rare aurora-associated phenomenon known as "STEVE." However, observers quickly realized it was something entirely different.
