Have you seen streaks of colored light in the night sky recently? If so, you’re not alone! People across some parts of the U.S. have spotted the vibrant display, called an aurora, over the past year. Why does it happen?
The sun is constantly sending tiny particles out into space that carry an electric charge. “It’s called space weather,” says NASA space physicist Elizabeth MacDonald. Earth has a magnetic area surrounding it called a magnetic field. This force field pulls the charged particles toward Earth’s poles. There they collide with Earth’s atmosphere, the layer of gases around the planet. The particles release energy as colorful light.
Usually, only people close to the poles can see auroras. But lately, auroras have been visible from much farther away, including parts of the continental U.S. That’s because the sun has an 11-year cycle of high and low activity. This cycle, the sun’s activity began to peak around November 2024. The result is exciting space weather—and dazzling light shows around the globe!