In early May, scientists recorded strong solar flares* on the surface of the sun. The heavy activity resulted in the most powerful solar storm to hit Earth in 20 years.
The solar storm, made up of ionized particles, traveled through space and reached Earth. As it did, it caused colorful light displays in the sky, known as auroras.
Auroras are usually seen in the Northern Hemisphere* in countries near the polar region, and these are called the aurora borealis or the northern lights. However, due to the intensity of the recent solar storm, they were also viewed in places where they are not normally seen, including the United States, Mexico, and New Zealand.
As a matter of fact, the aurora borealis was even observed in some locations in Korea. On May 12th, amateur astronomers in Hwacheon, Gangwon Province, shared their photos of the northern lights. The beautiful images were taken by members of the Yongin Children¡¯s Observatory and showed violet and green colors covering the night sky.
Sometimes, radiation from solar storms can harm the operation of equipment on Earth, including GPS services and satellites. Fortunately, no major damage was caused by the recent storm, so people were freely able to enjoy the colorful light shows.