Category: auroras

Aurora chasers are on alert after NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) issued a moderate (G2) geomagnetic storm watch for Friday (Aug. 28), as coronal mass ejections (CMEs) launched from the sun yesterday (Aug. 25) head toward Earth.

The CME arrival follows a powerful M6.9 solar flare from restless sunspot region 4513 on Aug. 25. NOAA's SWPC has also issued a minor (G1) geomagnetic storm watch for Thursday (Aug. 27), as a stream of fast solar wind from a coronal hole is expected to buffet Earth ahead of the incoming CMEs

The M6.98 solar flare erupted from the active sunspot region 4513 and peaked at 6 a.m. EDT (1000 GMT), according to SpaceWeatherLive. 4513 has been particularly active over the previous 24 hours, firing off a barrage of solar flares including five powerful M-class eruptions. Solar flares are ranked by strength into five classes — A, B, C, M and X — with each class 10 times more powerful than the one before it. M-class flares are the second-strongest category, sitting just below the most powerful X-class eruptions.

The eruption also triggered a moderate (R2) radio blackout across the sunlit side of Earth, affecting high-frequency radio communications over parts of Africa, Europe and the Arctic.

CME incoming and possible northern lights?

The M6.9 flare wasn't the only eruption to launch material into space on Aug. 25. Several CMEs left the sun that day and NOAA's SWPC now anticipates their arrival at Earth.

NOAA's SWPC has issued a moderate (G2) geomagnetic storm watch for Aug. 28.

Before then, a coronal hole high-speed stream is forecast to reach Earth, prompting a minor (G1) geomagnetic storm watch for Aug. 27. NOAA forecasts isolated G1 to G2 conditions across Aug. 27-28 due to the combined influence of the high-speed solar wind stream and the incoming CME activity.

During G2 geomagnetic storm conditions, the northern lights can push farther south than usual, potentially becoming visible across parts of the northern U.S. and northern Europe.

If the glancing CME arrival coincides with the high-speed solar wind stream, the two influences could work together to ramp up geomagnetic activity and potentially enhance aurora activity.

How much of an impact the CME ultimately has will depend on its exact arrival time and, crucially, the orientation of its magnetic field when it reaches Earth. A strong southward magnetic field would interact more effectively with Earth's magnetic field, increasing the chances of stronger geomagnetic activity.

We'll be keeping a close eye on the latest models and space weather forecasts as Friday approaches and will update this story as more information becomes available.

Editor's note: This story was updated on Aug. 26 at 4:00 a.m. EDT (0800 GMT) to include NOAA's latest forecast and geomagnetic storm watches for Aug. 27 and Aug. 28.

On Aug. 12, 2026, a total solar eclipse will sweep across Earth, giving skywatchers across Greenland, Iceland and northern Spain an incredible view of totality. As the moon completely covers the sun, day will briefly turn to twilight, revealing the sun's faint outer atmosphere, the corona. But could totality reveal something else too?

Although totality never produces true nighttime darkness, it does briefly dim the sky to roughly the brightness of twilight. Since eclipse chasers in Greenland and Iceland will be in the auroral zone — the geographic zone around Earth's magnetic pole where auroras are most frequently seen — it's natural to wonder whether the two phenomena could appear together.

The answer is yes — but only if everything falls perfectly into place.

"During totality, the sky brightness is comparable to civil twilight (the first period of darkness after sunset, until the sun reaches six degrees below the observer's horizon). It's uncommon to see auroras during this time, but by no means impossible," Tom Kerss, independent astronomer and Chief Aurora Chaser for tour company Hurtigruten, told Space.com in an email.

Kerss knows this from experience. Last year, he photographed the northern lights in Norway at twilight, demonstrating that sufficiently bright auroras can remain visible even before the sky becomes fully dark.

However, the aurora's position in the sky would impact its visibility.

"During totality in August, the surface brightness of the sun's corona would almost certainly outshine auroras in its vicinity, but other parts of the sky away from the eclipse could host visible auroral structures," said Kerss.

So while it's physically possible, how likely is it?

Not very.

"If the auroral activity stays quiet, we wouldn't expect to see it during totality even though we know some energy is probably being emitted in the dayside portion of the oval," Kerss said.

To have any realistic chance of seeing the northern lights during the eclipse, Earth would need to be in the grip of a severe geomagnetic storm. These storms occur when eruptions from the sun, such as coronal mass ejections (CMEs), slam into Earth's magnetic field. During such conditions, auroras can get a dramatic boost, appearing brighter and more widespread than usual.

Kerss explained that observers would almost certainly need a G4 or G5 geomagnetic storm (G5 is the most powerful category) to overlap with the eclipse to have any realistic chance of seeing an aurora show because they will be on Earth's dayside.

"Bright, nightside aurora can be driven by powerful substorm activity, in which energy is stored and released," Kerss explained. "The dayside aurora is driven by a combination of favorably aligned solar wind (which opens the field lines around the Earth's polar cusps) and strong precipitation directly into the auroral oval. This latter requirement is contingent on very strong or extreme geomagnetic activity."

Kerss' thoughts are echoed by Pål Brekke, a solar physicist and northern lights expert working as Lead of Space Science at the Norwegian Space Agency.

Brekke knows just how difficult this is. He attempted to spot auroras during the 2015 total solar eclipse over Svalbard but found the sky never got dark enough.

"The sky never got that dark — we could hardly see any planets and no stars," Brekke told Space.com in an email. "Most probably because the snow-covered valley and mountains reflecting lights leaking in from the side of the moon's shadow. Making the sky too bright even during the eclipse."

Brekke also pointed out that the timings work against eclipse chasers. Totality occurs in the afternoon over Greenland and Iceland, meaning observers will be beneath the daytime portion of the auroral oval. Unlike the nighttime aurora oval, which expands dramatically during geomagnetic storms, the dayside auroral oval changes much less, making displays harder to see even during active space weather.

"The chance for aurora over Spain is very low — that would need a KP=9 or so — and 20:00 [UTC] is still very early so the fattest part of the oval is still not over Spain at that time. So our guess is it will not be very likely," said Brekke.

There is one scenario, however, that could make eclipse day even more extraordinary.

"If the sun launches CMEs in the days before the eclipse, it'll be very exciting for anyone going to Iceland or Greenland, and since the exceptional Perseid Meteor Shower will also peak on that date, there's a rare opportunity to see three of the sky's greatest wonders together if conditions line up," said Kerss.

The odds may be slim, but they're not zero.

If the sun happens to unleash a powerful geomagnetic storm in the days leading up to Aug. 12, eclipse chasers in Greenland or Iceland could witness something truly remarkable.

If not, don't be too disappointed. During totality, the sun itself puts on one of nature's greatest spectacles — and that's where your attention should be.

Heads up aurora chasers! The sun has been very busy.

After unleashing an X1.1 solar flare on June 30, the sun continued its outburst by firing off 10 M-class solar flares in 24 hours! Several of these eruptions were accompanied by coronal mass ejections (CMEs) that appear to be at least partially Earth-directed.

Exactly how many of these solar storms will reach Earth (and how effective they will be) is still being calculated, but space weather forecasters say the coming days could bring heightened geomagnetic activity and increased chances of seeing the northern lights.

Solar physicist Tamitha Skov described the recent activity as a "Machine-gun sun" in a recent post on X, writing that more than five solar storms are on their way to Earth, with at least three offering "good chances" for aurora displays.

"NOAA and NASA model predictions do not show all the storms yet," Skov wrote, explaining that the rapid succession of eruptions has made them difficult to model. Skov added that the first storm could arrive before 8 a.m. EDT (1200 GMT) on July 3, with G2 or stronger geomagnetic storm conditions possible if the incoming CMEs carry a favorable magnetic orientation, allowing them to connect more efficiently with Earth's magnetic field.

According to NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center, at least one CME from July 1 appears to have an Earth-directed component, although further analysis is still underway. The agency continues to forecast moderate (G2) geomagnetic storm conditions beginning tonight, driven primarily by the CME launched during the June 30 X-class flare, while noting that additional CMEs from the barrage of July 1 eruptions are still being analyzed.

Will the northern lights be visible?

The forecasts are looking increasingly promising for aurora chasers.

NOAA's latest forecast calls for moderate (G2) geomagnetic storm conditions around 8-11 p.m. EDT tonight (0000-0300 GMT July 3), with minor (G1) storm conditions for much of July 3. That could push the northern lights farther south than usual, potentially making them visible across parts of the northern U.S., including New York and Idaho, provided skies are dark and clear.

Exactly how impressive any display becomes will depend on how the incoming CMEs interact with one another and, crucially, the orientation of their magnetic fields when they arrive. When a magnetic field within a solar storm aligns the right way, it can more effectively transfer energy into Earth's magnetic field, producing stronger geomagnetic storms and brighter auroras.

However, nights remain short for observers in the northern hemisphere and lingering twilight could make auroras harder to spot.

That being said, it's worth making sure your cameras are charged and your aurora alerts are switched on. With multiple CMEs heading our way, there could be some natural fireworks lighting up the skies this July 4 weekend.

Northern Hemisphere aurora forecast courtesy of the U.K. Met Office