Magnetic Substorm sparks fascinating Auroras over Norwegian sky!

Although it did not harm the planet, a magnetic substorm caused mesmerizing auroras in Norway recently.

Stunning pink auroras were captured over the Norwegian sky yesterday. (Markus Varik/Greenlander Tromsø)

Earth is being bombarded with solar storms, solar flares, earthquakes, hurricanes and magnetic substorms. Solar activity, in particular, is at a high right now due to the Sun being nearly at the height of its solar cycle. Despite the Sun being nearly 147 million kilometers away from Earth, solar phenomena such as solar storms and solar flares can still cause an effect on the planet. Just yesterday, a magnetic substorm resulted in the appearance of Auroras over the sky of Tromso, Norway, according to spaceweather.com.

Shifting curtains of pink light were visible, making the night-sky a sight to behold. The spaceweather.com report said, “Last night, a magnetic substorm erupted over Tromsø, Norway--and it was very pink.”

The auroras were captured on camera by a tour guide named Markus Varik. He told spaceweather.com, "We were all so blown away, speechless really. This was only the 2nd-best display of pink I have ever seen.”

Although auroras are usually green in colour, they can appear as pink sometimes too. Green auroras are formed when energy particles hit the oxygen atoms at 100 km to 300 km from the surface of the planet. But when particles hit at a height lower than 100 km, it results in the formation of pink auroras.

How are Substorms different from Geomagnetic storms?

Although they might seem the same due to the fact they originate from the same source, Magnetic Substorms somewhat differ from Geomagnetic storms. According to NASA, substorms are brief, lasting only two to three hours, and occur much more frequently. In fact, they can occur up to six times a day.

Substorms occur during the main phase of storm growth. Substorms are observed only in the auroral zones, while magnetic storms are a world-wide phenomenon.