Intense solar storm sparks uncommon aurora in Ladakh

13 May 2024 CW Team

The dark sky over parts of Ladakh was illuminated by a crimson glow, an unusual phenomenon known as a stable auroral red arc event, observed at the Hanle Dark Sky Reserve in the high Himalayas. This celestial display was attributed to powerful solar magnetic storms emitted towards Earth. Scientists from the Centre of Excellence in Space Sciences in India (CESSI), Kolkata, revealed that these solar storms, originating from the AR13664 region of the sun, had generated numerous high-energy solar flares, with some hurtling towards Earth at speeds reaching 800 km/s.

In the northern hemisphere, observers in Austria, Germany, Slovakia, Switzerland, Denmark, and Poland were treated to mesmerizing auroras or northern lights, which adorned the skies at higher latitudes. Enthusiasts eagerly shared their captures of these celestial dances on various social media platforms.

At the Hanle Dark Sky Reserve in Ladakh, astronomers witnessed a remarkable sight as a red glow appeared on the northwest horizon around 1 am on May 11, persisting until early dawn. Stanzin Norla, an engineer at the reserve, recounted their fortunate experience of observing Aurora activities through their all-sky camera during routine telescope observations. He noted that a subtle red hue was discernible to the naked eye along the horizon, while a DSLR camera installed at the reserve captured the event in exquisite detail.

According to Stanzin, the spectacle unfolded from approximately 1 am to 3:30 am, with the sky transitioning from a deep red hue along the horizon to a softer pinkish tone later on. Dorje Angchuk, an engineer at the Indian Astronomical Observatory in Hanle, characterized the event as a stable auroral red arc, a rare phenomenon gracing the skies above Ladakh.

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