Auroras following solar flares

Wednesday, the sun emanated a giant solar flare, this may have resulted in two explosive coronal mass ejections (CME). The radiation interfered with some high-frequency radio communications for about an hour as it headed right for Earth. The planet’s magnetosphere protects us from the burnt damage, which is why the majority of us aren’t hurt. You can see the magnetosphere protections at the North and South poles in the form of colored lights known as auroras. Aurora Borealis is seen in the North, while Aurora Australis happens in the South.

CME particles that are charged have been trapped by the magnetic field travel toward the poles and excite oxygen and nitrogen in the upper atmosphere. They make a photon that creates colorful light as the elements return to their ground state. Oxygen creates green and yellow light and nitrogen makes blue or red.

Yesterday was an x1.6 class, which is the strongest class of solar flare. It was  predicted that there will be some gorgeous auroras on september 11 and tonight as a result of the intensity. The Northern areas like Canada is where the usual viewing of the lights are, but it is predicted that those as far south as Pennsylvania and Iowa could maybe see the Northern Lights.