In the Arctic, August auroras are extra-special because the glow of the Midnight Sun has not yet faded away. This gives observers a chance of see a mix of colors: Twilight blue and geomagnetic green. "Blue night-sky auroras are so beautiful with a warm horizon at the bottom," notes Strand.
More than 200 km inside the Arctic Circle, an automated camera at the STF Turiststation in Abisko, Sweden, photographed the same display. "This is the earliest we have seen auroras in at least 17 years," says Chad Blakley of Lights over Lapland. "Our automated camera has been in operation since 2005-2006. I checked the archives. Aug. 19, 2023, is the earliest display on record, edging out Aug. 20, 2013 by a single day."
The early start to aurora season highlights the increasing strength of Solar Cycle 25, now racing toward a Solar Max expected as early as next year. Earth's magnetosphere is buzzing with energy, and it only takes a single stream of solar wind to light up our planet's poles. Note to Arctic sky watchers: Be alert for green+blue in the weeks ahead as the Midnight Sun fades to black. Aurora alerts: SMS Text
Comment: Granted it's only earlier by 1 day, but the automated camera has been operating since as far back as the last solar maximum in 2015, and that maximum was stronger than that of the current cycle, which won't peak until 2024, and so, despite the weaker cycle, solar energy seems to be having a greater impact on our planet; and there's a variety of other unusual phenomena occurring in recent years that also seem to reflect this - and not just on our planet:
- Cosmic climate change? Neptune's clouds have disappeared, surprising scientists
- Powerful Solar storm has unusually strong impact on Earth, delays SpaceX rocket launch, stalls oil rigs in Canada
- Cosmic climate change: 'Space plasma hurricane' observed in ionosphere above North Pole!
- Professor Valentina Zharkova: "We entered the 'modern' Grand Solar Minimum on June 8, 2020
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