Nature Aurora borealis lights up Hokkaido

thomas

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Early Friday morning, Hokkaido was treated to a spectacular display of auroras. According to the Nayoro Astronomical Observatory, vibrant red northern lights lit up the sky for nearly three hours starting around 2 a.m. These stunning lights resulted from a geomagnetic storm caused by a recent solar flare. As the sun's activity continues to ramp up towards its peak next year, we can expect more aurora sightings in the northern latitudes. These celestial shows are typically seen around 60 to 70 degrees north, and in Hokkaido, they often appear as a soft shade of red.

Aurora borealis in Hokkaido

Aurora borealis observed 11/10/2024 in Nayoro, Hokkaido (photo credit: Nayoro Observatory Kitasubaru)



Why do northern lights dazzle the sky farther south than usual?

 
I'm at the same latitude of Hokkaido and saw* an impressive display at that time (Thursday night).

IMG_3737.jpeg


* this is the image in the camera using iPhone night mode. With the naked eye all I could see was a very slight blush that I wouldn't have noticed if I wasn't looking for it.
 
Maine had a good view of them if you were away from the city light pollution.
 
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