A solar storm “punches a hole” in Earth’s magnetic field, creating a bright pink light display

A GEOMAGNETIC storm last week opened a hole in the Earth’s magnetic field, causing a burst of pink auroras in the Arctic Circle skies.
The smaller G1-class geomagnetic solar storm hit Earth on November 3, leaving the planet’s magnetic field “jittery,” according to spaceweather.com reported.
The outlet – which tracks encounters near asteroids, solar winds, eclipses and auroras – revealed the storm lasted for more than six hours and caused a “rift” to open in the magnetic field, allowing the solar wind to enter.
The storm’s aftermath produced some of the “most intense pink auroras” at least one local has ever seen in Tromso, Norway – known for its vivid views of the Northern Lights.
“I’ve been guiding Aurora tours full-time for the last ten years and have guided more than 1000 tours,” Markus Varik told spaceweather.com.
“I thought I saw everything.”
Varik said he and a tour were heading out to chase the lights early on November 2 when they encountered “a surprise.”
“These were the most intense pink auroras I’ve ever seen,” Varik said.
“The pink color was bright and visible to the naked eye. My whole group was stunned.”
Auroras – which appear green and blue most commonly – are caused by high-energy particles from the sun entering Earth’s magnetic field and interacting with atmospheric gases, the researchers said NASA.
When the particles collide with oxygen atoms, the auroras emit a green hue, while nitrogen atoms make the auroras appear purplish.
These fantastic displays of light are generally only seen near the Arctic Circle in the northern hemisphere and the Antarctic Circle in the southern hemisphere.
Typically, the Northern Lights are most commonly seen from September to April.
Countries like Norway, Canada and Iceland are popular destinations to see the lights.
https://www.thesun.ie/tech/news-tech/9693956/solar-storm-hole-earths-magnetic-field-pink-aurora/ A solar storm “punches a hole” in Earth’s magnetic field, creating a bright pink light display