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If you were awake in the early hours of Tuesday, Oct. 8, you may have witnessed a stunning spectacle in the sky.
That’s because the Northern Lights, or aurora borealis, were once again briefly visible from Long Island. Photographer Angela Sasso, from Lindenhurst, captured the glowing sky at exactly 1:12 a.m.
The Northern Lights have been viewable multiple times this year on the Island, including in August and May.
Typically seen in places like Canada and Iceland, the aurora has been appearing at lower latitudes due to increased solar activity.
This week’s display was triggered by a coronal mass ejection (CME), a burst of solar material and magnetic fields from the sun.
More Northern Lights on Long Island?
More solar activity is expected in the coming days.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has issued a warning for a severe geomagnetic storm through Friday, which could make the aurora visible as far south as Alabama.
This storm is similar to the one that gave Long Islanders a glimpse of the bright green skies in May.
Particles from the CME are racing toward Earth at speeds of 1,200 to 1,300 km/s and are expected to arrive by Thursday morning or midday.
NOAA also warns that this heightened solar activity could disrupt satellites, power grids, radio transmissions, and more.
