Aurora Seen In Atlanta Area Around 1030 Pm

3-Day Forecast of Magnetic Storms

Aurora Seen in Atlanta Area Around 10:30 PM

Emily Smith, CNN

A stunning aurora caused by a severe geomagnetic storm was visible in the Atlanta area around 10:30 pm on May 10th. The storm was caused by a cluster of sunspots on the sun's surface that is 17 times the diameter of Earth. The sunspots are emitting solar flares and coronal mass ejections (CMEs), which are streams of charged particles that can disrupt Earth's magnetic field.

The geomagnetic storm is expected to continue through May 12th, and additional solar eruptions could cause the storm conditions to persist.

The K-index, which measures the strength of geomagnetic storms, is expected to reach G1-2 (Minor-Moderate) on May 10th-12th. This means that power grids and communications systems could be affected, and aurorae may be visible at lower latitudes than usual.

People who live in areas that are likely to be affected by the geomagnetic storm should take steps to protect their electronic devices and infrastructure.