A rare and powerful display of the Northern Lights lit up skies across the globe last night following an intense solar eruption.
On Sunday, scientists recorded the strongest solar flare of the year so far — an X1.95-class explosion from the Sun. Within less than 24 hours, a massive wave of charged particles slammed into Earth’s magnetic field.
By the night of January 19–20, the impact triggered a severe geomagnetic storm, causing auroras to appear far beyond their usual polar regions. The glowing skies were reported across Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Western Europe, and large parts of North America.
Space weather agencies confirmed that geomagnetic activity surged close to the maximum G5 level — the highest category for solar storms.
The storm also disrupted global systems that rely on Earth’s magnetic stability. Interference was reported with radio communications, satellite navigation, and other space-based technologies.
Scientists continue to monitor the Sun closely as solar activity intensifies during its current solar cycle peak.
