An unusually strong solar storm hitting Earth produced stunning displays of color in the skies across the Southern Hemisphere on May 10 and the Northern Hemisphere on May 11, with no immediate reports of disruptions to power and communications.
The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration issued a rare severe geomagnetic storm warning when a solar outburst reached Earth on May 10 in the Northern Hemisphere.
Many in the U.K. shared phone snaps of the lights on social media early May 11, with the phenomenon seen as far south as London and southern England.
There were sightings “from top to tail across the country,” said Chris Snell, a meteorologist at the Met Office, Britain’s weather agency. The aurora borealis was seen even in Hokkaido, while the aurora australis treated stargazers in New Zealand and Australia to a colorful light display.
NOAA alerted operators of power plants, as well as the Federal Emergency Management Agency, to take precautions.
The storm posed a risk for high-voltage transmission lines for power grids, not the electrical lines ordinarily found in people’s homes, NOAA space weather forecaster Shawn Dahl told reporters. (AP)
毎週届く！
