Aurora Borealis, also known as Northern Lights, has been observed for the first time in India due to extreme solar activity resulting in geomagnetic storms on Earth. The Indian Astronomical Observatory, located near Leh, at an altitude of 15,000 feet, recorded this rare phenomenon on camera. Typically, this astronomical event is witnessed at very high altitudes in countries near the polar region, such as Alaska, Iceland, Norway, Finland, and Sweden.
A powerful solar geomagnetic storm of the G4 category occurred on Earth on March 24, which is considered the second most intense solar storm in the last six years. The solar activity continued for weeks, leading to the rare sighting of Aurora Borealis in India. On April 21, a massive Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) reached Earth from the Sun at a speed of about 21 lakh km per hour, resulting in the unique sighting.
The Indian Astronomical Observatory, located at one of the world’s highest-located sites for optical, infrared, and gamma-ray telescopes, recorded the rare event from a 360-degree camera. Citing the tweet by the Indian Institute of Astrophysics, Dr. Shashi Bhushan Pandey, a scientist at Aryabhatta Research and Observational Science Institute, stated that it is exceptionally rare to see Aurora at such a low latitude and altitude. Astronomers worldwide are surprised by this incredible and rare occurrence.
Wageesh Mishra, an assistant professor at the IIA, informed that Aurora was observed in America, Arizona, and Virginia at the same latitude of 32 degrees. This remarkable event has sparked excitement and interest in the scientific community and the public alike.
