This event comes as Earth enters a period of heightened solar activity known as the solar maximum (solar activity increases and decreases about every 11 years.) The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) warned that the storm would be a category G2 event, which is moderately strong.
But this storm was so powerful that it was visible as far south as New York and as far across the United States as Wisconsin and Washington state, NOAA reported. .
On Monday NOAA warned that satellite orientation irregularities, power grid fluctuations and more could occur as a result of the moderate storm.
As the storm's effects linger, auroras may still be visible Tuesday night at high latitudes, in locations like Canada and Alaska, according to NOAA.But skywatchers in other locations who were lucky enough yesterday could have gotten an eyeful in locations like New York where auroras are very rarely visible at all. .
When this plasma hits our planet's shield, the charged particles move toward Earth's poles releasing energy as colorful light: this is how auroras happen. .Chelsea has written for publications including Scientific American, Discover Magazine Blog, Astronomy Magazine, Live Science, All That is Interesting, AMNH Microbe Mondays blog, The Daily Targum and Roaring Earth
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