Polar lights in Hungary

Earlier than expected, the aurora borealis appeared in the sky on Monday evening, shining in a pink robe.

According to the latest model calculations of the American Space Weather Prediction Center (NOAA SWPC), our planet’s magnetic field may soon suffer a significant disturbance. The cause of the event was a solar flare of magnitude X1.9 in sunspot group 4341 on Sunday, which was followed by a so-called coronal mass ejection (CME – Coronal Mass Ejection).

At around 8 o’clock in the evening, news arrived that the solar storm consisting of high-energy, speeding protons had reached an S4 strength.

The last time this happened was in October 2003.

At 8:38 p.m., we also reached G4 strength on the scale measuring the strength of geomagnetic storms, at such an intensity the phenomenon can be easily observed even from our country, as it was recorded by many of our webcams.

When the recording was made, the mountain peaks of the Danube Bend rose like islands from the thick, billowing fog. The cloud layer trapped in the valleys was illuminated from below by the lights of the settlements, giving the landscape a golden brown glow, while distinct pinkish-red columns appeared at the bottom of the clear, starry sky: the aurora borealis shone again.

An S4 storm has several negative effects.

On the one hand, it represents an unavoidable radiation hazard for astronauts performing spacewalks. Passengers and crew of aircraft operating at high altitudes and on arctic routes may be exposed to increased radiation exposure, up to the dose equivalent to 10 chest X-rays.

Data errors can also occur in the memory of the satellites. In arctic areas, shortwave (HF) radio communication can be completely interrupted, and significant inaccuracies can occur in navigation systems, including the operation of GPS.

https://www.idokep.hu/hirek/sarki-feny-festette-at-az-ejszakat-20260119