--- title: "Huge “Cannibal” Solar Explosion Will Make Northern Lights Visible in Areas That Normally Never See Them" description: "If you live in the Northern part of the United States and catch a glimpse of the aurora borealis tonight, you'll have a \"cannibal\" solar explosion to thank. " date: "2022-03-30" modified: "2022-03-30" authors: - name: "Noor Al-Sibai" job_title: "Senior Staff Writer" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/nooralsibai" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/cannibal-solar-explosion-aurora-borealis" categories: - "Energy" - "Renewable Energy" - "Science & Energy" - "Solar Power" tags: - "coronal mass ejection" - "northern lights" - "solar flares" - "the digest" --- # Huge “Cannibal” Solar Explosion Will Make Northern Lights Visible in Areas That Normally Never See Them ![If you live in the Northern part of the United States and catch a glimpse of the aurora borealis tonight, you'll have a "cannibal" solar explosion to thank. ]() *High altitude luminosity.The aurora consists of rapidly shifting patches of light. Extensive displays disturb radio, telephone and telegraph transmission. Auroras have been observed in the atmosphere of other planets, notably Jupiter. \Image: Getty Images\* ## Northern Lights If you live in the Northern part of the United States and catch a glimpse of the aurora borealis tonight, you'll have a "cannibal" solar explosion to thank. As [*Live Science* reports](), a "cannibal" coronal mass ejection (CME) — a [cloud-like release of magnetic plasma]() particles from the Sun's corona so huge that it eats smaller clouds to create a gigantic mega-blast — is the cause of both a massive geomagnetic storm that could affect low-frequency radio waves and, dazzlingly, northern lights that will be visible as far south as Pennsylvania, Iowa, and Oregon. While the northern lights are generally only seen in the highest reachers of the Northern Hemisphere like Alaska, Iceland, and Scandinavia, massive solar events like the approaching cannibal CME can make the aurora borealis visible much further south than usual. https://twitter.com/WeatherJefe/status/1509171309497921537 ## Cannibal Lecture This self-eating solar explosion is, [as *Space.com* puts it,]() the result of a whopping 17 solar eruptions that came from [a single "overactive" sunspot](). These eruptions started on March 28 and have since been hailed a category G3 geomagnetic storm, meaning it's quite strong. These solar winds are currently hurdling towards our planet at nearly two million miles per hour, but we don't need to worry too much about it. As *Live Science* notes, our planet's magnetic field generally absorbs these kinds of solar emissions with little more than the slight compression and subsequent rippling magnetic energy lines that make up the gorgeous aurora borealis light show. That said, there is still a risk to lower-frequency radio and satellite technology, and [as *SpaceWeather.com* notes](), the shortwave radio blackout over the Americas seems to already have happened, affecting "aviators, mariners, and ham radio operators." Just last month, a geomagnetic storm much milder than the one currently approaching the Earth [knocked out 40 of SpaceX's Starlink internet satellites]() that had just been launched, though it's unclear if this cannibal sun storm will have similar effects this time around. Even as it poses risks to satellite and radio tech, solar events like this aren't all that common and worth witnessing — so if you live somewhere in the Northern US where you can get a clear view of the night sky, definitely try to check this one out. **READ MORE:** ['Cannibal' coronal mass ejection will hit Earth at nearly 2 million mph, scientists say]() \[*Live Science*\] **More on sun stuff:** *[NASA Is Investigating a Bizarre Explosion on the Sun]()* ## Author At Futurism, I've often been drawn to unpacking the narratives that underlie technological, scientific and medical progress, with a special interest in areas of conflict and ambiguity that end up setting agendas and steering the fates of both elites and the hoi polloi. I'm a committed generalist, but I often find myself returning to work involving NASA and the private space sector, the effects of AI on media and society, and the mechanics of the pharmaceutical industry, with a specific focus on the spread of GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy. Prior to Futurism, I worked for publications ranging from Media Matters and Truthdig to Raw Story and Bustle. I'm also the author of "Myspace Scene Queens," a 2024 title in Instar Books' acclaimed "Remember the Internet" series. My work at Futurism has been cited by outlets including the New Yorker, Slate, Nieman Lab, the Verge, the MIT Technology Review, the Sunday Times, and the Daily Beast. I grew up in North Carolina, attended the University of North Carolina at Asheville, and now live in Brooklyn, New York. In my free time, I'm an avid reader and music fan; you can probably find me at a local poetry reading, concert, underground rave, or DJ set. I'm the proud parent of an ineffable orange cat named Mee-Mow. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()