UA level 4/5 solar storm reached Earth Thursday evening. The last time a storm of this caliber was forecast was last May.
Photographers, astrophotographers and amateurs rushed to photograph this phenomenon throughout France, including in the Nord and Pas-de-Calais.
The explanation for this phenomenon: the sun is expected to reach the peak of its approximately 11-year activity cycle – known as “solar maximum” – between January and October 2024bringing Northern Lights shows to both the lower polar regions and further south in Europe.
During solar maximum, there are more solar storms, creating more aurora borealis.
The Northern Lights, also called “Northern Lights”, are luminous manifestations caused by the interaction between charged particles from the solar wind and the Earth’s magnetosphere, recalls the Canadian Space Agency (CSA).
When these particles enter Earth’s atmosphere, they excite nitrogen and oxygen molecules, producing bursts of light in hues of green, pink, red and purple.
