Photo acquired on May 11, 2024, from near Saskatoon in Saskatchewan, Canada. Credit: Gunjan Sinha
On May 11, 2024, the day-night band of VIIRS (Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite) on the Suomi NPP satellite spotted the aurora borealis over the United States during the strongest geomagnetic storm in over two decades. That same night, observers on the ground captured spectacular photographs of the dazzling light. The following photos represent just a handful of those shot by citizen scientists as part of NASA’s Aurorasaurus project, which tracks aurora sightings around the planet.
Photo acquired on May 11, 2024, from near Saskatoon in Saskatchewan, Canada. Credit: Gunjan Sinha
Photo acquired on May 10, 2024, from the Olympic Peninsula in Washington, U.S. Credit: Kashmir Wilkinson
Photo acquired on May 11, 2024, from the Olympic Peninsula in Washington, U.S. Credit: Kashmir Wilkinson
Photo acquired on May 10, 2024, from Sydney in Manitoba, Canada. Credit: Justin Anderson
Photo acquired on May 10, 2024, from Sydney in Manitoba, Canada. Credit: Justin Anderson
Photo acquired on May 11, 2024, from Steep Rock in Manitoba, Canada. Credit: Justin Anderson
Photo acquired on May 11, 2024, from Abraham Lake, Alberta, Canada. Credit: Jeremy Kuzub
The aurora australis dazzled viewers in the southern hemisphere. Photo acquired on May 11, 2024, from Nugget Point on the South Island of New Zealand. Credit: Allison Jaynes
Photo acquired on May 11, 2024, from Nugget Point on the South Island of New Zealand. Credit: Allison Jaynes
Photo acquired on May 11, 2024, from Utica, Ohio, U.S. Credit: Christian Harris
Photo acquired on May 11, 2024, from the Glasfynydd Forest in Wales. Credit: Hannahbella Nel
Photo acquired on May 11, 2024, from the Shetland Islands, U.K. Credit: ©Rebecca Douglas.