Northern lights in Ladakh: Scientists decode aurora effect in India

Rare and picturesque auroras were seen in India’s extreme north last year in March. Scientists have now decoded the cause behind the phenomena, which is usually only seen near the Earth’s polar regions.

A geomagnetic storm erupted in the region after a massive coronal mass ejection erupted from the solar disk center, as per India Today. The massive expulsion from the sun reportedly traveled to Earth at a whopping speed of 1500 kilometers per second.

Auroras, also commonly known as northern lights, have become more common outside the polar regions this year.

Scientists have attributed the increased sightings to fluctuations in solar flares during the 11-year cycle. As per Outlook, astronomers have predicted that such sightings may become more common and peak in 2025.

Photos of the aurora in Ladakh were captured by the Indian Astronomical Observatory in Hanle, which is India’s only dark sky reserve outpost.

Auroras were also reported across parts of Europe and Asia. In the U.S., skygazers took in the sights from Wisconsin, Washington state, Colorado, California, New Mexico and even Arizona — mostly a reddish glow instead of the typical green shimmer.

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