Solar storms are bursts of charged particles and magnetic energy from the Sun. They have been disrupting Earth’s technology and infrastructure for over 160 years. These geomagnetic events are often triggered by combinations of coronal mass ejections (CMEs), Solar flares, filament release, and Coronal holes. They can interfere with everything from telegraphs and railways to satellites and smartphones. As we enter a new solar peak, understanding their history helps us prepare for what’s ahead. Let’s take a look back through history and see the chaos solar storms have created. Beginning with the Carrington Event of August 28, 1859. This was the first time in history that we had technology that was affected by solar storms. What a wake-up call. Telegraph systems across North America and Europe sparked, caught fire, and operated without batteries. Auroras lit up skies as far south as Cuba and Hawaii. Miners in the Rockies woke thinking it was morning. Farmer were getting up to work their fields at midnight, thinking it was dawn. This was one of the largest events ever…

Helping Everyone Enjoy the Northern Lights Responsibly There are so many new people trying the hobby of Aurora Hunting. The purpose of this article is to educate you on how to start. From camera settings, forecasting, and safety, this is a practical guide on how to get started. I have seen a lot of very dangerous behavior in the dark. I have spent 10 years doing dark sky photography. I have seen everything from parking on both sides of the road to create a bottleneck in traffic. People who park in other cars by park in a no-parking area. People are driving on walking trails. People are ignoring private property. People who bring dogs into crowded areas at night. People shining lights in people’s faces. Someone even threatened my friend and me. We just asked that they not shine a light in our eyes. I want to be very clear about this. If areas have too much dangerous behavior going on. If people continually ignore park rules and go on private property. If we don’t…

When you first start shooting auroras, you often have many questions. Let’s start with some answers to basic questions. They will put you well on your way to being capable of enjoying the northern lights! The northern lights, or aurora borealis, originate from the sun. The sun is not a solid object. It is a dynamic sphere of energy. In its core, high pressure fuses hydrogen into helium, generating convection cells of electrically charged gas. These cells create magnetic loops that erupt from the sun’s surface, releasing plasma during strong solar storms. Traveling at approximately 18 million kilometers per hour, this plasma arrives at Earth in roughly 18 hours. While our planet’s magnetic field deflects the majority, some is directed towards the polar regions. This occurs where the magnetic protection is weakest, resulting in the formation of auroras. During daylight hours, the presence of sunlight obscures these phenomena. Nevertheless, at night, the plasma recoils like a stretched elastic band. It interacts with oxygen and nitrogen in the upper atmosphere. These interactions release energy in the…