Northern Lights illuminates NYC, NJ sky: Did you see it?

Aurora borealis lights up NYC skies

Skies across the northeast were lit up by a rare aurora borealis on Thursday night thanks a geomagnetic storm, delighting stargazers.

NEW YORK - New Yorkers were treated to a celestial spectacle on Thursday night as the aurora borealis, also known as the northern lights, danced above the city’s skyline.

A powerful geomagnetic storm from the sun triggered the typically elusive event, much to the delight of stargazers across the tri-state area.

The aurora was reportedly visible across several northern states and even parts of the Midwest.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - OCTOBER 11: The Northern Lights or Aurora Borealis are visible over the New York Skyline on October 11, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Roy Rochlin/Getty Images)

The phenomenon is caused by disturbances in Earth’s magnetosphere, in this case, triggered by a coronal mass ejection (CME) from the Sun.

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The northern lights in the skies of New York City.

When a CME—a massive burst of solar wind and magnetic fields—is hurled toward Earth, it interacts with our planet’s magnetic field. These charged solar particles collide with gases in Earth's atmosphere, causing them to emit light. The colors of the aurora vary depending on the type of gas involved—oxygen creates green and red hues, while nitrogen contributes to purples and blues.

CMEs have the possibility of causing interference with radios and satellites, and in some cases, can affect the power grid.