Solar storms bring colorful northern lights to unexpected places
Source: AP
By ADITHI RAMAKRISHNAN
Updated 10:08 AM CST, November 12, 2025
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NEW YORK (AP) — Solar storms brought colorful auroras to unexpected places on Tuesday night, and there could be more to come.
Space weather forecasters confirmed that storms reached severe levels, triggering vibrant northern lights in Europe including Hungary and the United Kingdom. In the U.S., the hues were spotted as far south as Kansas, Colorado and Texas.
There were some impacts to GPS communications and the power grid, Shawn Dahl with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said in a video posted on X.
The uptick in solar activity forced NASA on Wednesday to postpone the launch of Blue Origin’s new rocket carrying Mars orbiters until conditions improve.
Read more: https://apnews.com/article/northern-lights-aurora-forecast-d902060f09341468bcc3ef1459c50bdc
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Northern Lights display expected for 2nd night in a row for these US states
Wednesday's skyshow will follow the green and pink glow seen on Tuesday night.
By Mason Leath
November 12, 2025, 12:21 PM
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Northern lights may shine across a dozen US states tonightA minor geomagnetic storm could make the aurora borealis visible in states from Washington to Maine. Optimal viewing will be between 10 p.m. and 4 a.m. local time, according to NOAA.
Dazzling waves of color are lighting up the skies this week.
After a green and pink display of auroras lit up the sky Tuesday night, another Northern Light array is expected to bring a gleaming light show to the northern part of the U.S. Wednesday night.
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Auroras are seen over Hope, Indiana, Nov. 11, 2025.
Anna Hilycord
The auroras are being caused by one of the strongest geomagnetic storms of the year, which occurs when electrons from the sun collide with Earth's magnetic field to produce colored lights, according to NOAA.
"Aurora is the name given to the glow or light produced when electrons from space flow down Earth’s magnetic field and collide with atoms and molecules of the upper atmosphere in a ring or oval centered on the magnetic pole of Earth. The collisions produce light much like how electrons flowing through gas in a neon light collide with neon and other gasses to produce different colored light bulbs," NOAA's website reads.
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Auroras are seen over Pembroke, Massachusetts, Nov. 11, 2025.
Matthew Swartz
Two dozen states could see the Northern Lights Wednesday night per NOAA's aurora viewline map that includes Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine..............................