{"id":771698,"date":"2023-11-10T04:59:53","date_gmt":"2023-11-10T08:59:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/spaceweekly.com\/?p=771698"},"modified":"2023-11-10T04:59:53","modified_gmt":"2023-11-10T08:59:53","slug":"stronger-solar-activity-could-bring-more-displays-of-the-northern-lights-in-2024-npr","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/spaceweekly.com\/?p=771698","title":{"rendered":"Stronger solar activity could bring more displays of the northern lights in 2024 : NPR"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div id=\"storytext\">\n<div id=\"res1211597677\" class=\"bucketwrap image large\">\n<div class=\"imagewrap has-source-dimensions\" data-crop-type=\"\" style=\"&#10;        --source-width: 8640;&#10;        --source-height: 5754;&#10;    \">\n        <picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/media.npr.org\/assets\/img\/2023\/11\/08\/ap23117830446258_custom-826301601378bc8f01a2138565299467e90cc5fa-s400-c85.webp 400w,&#10;https:\/\/media.npr.org\/assets\/img\/2023\/11\/08\/ap23117830446258_custom-826301601378bc8f01a2138565299467e90cc5fa-s600-c85.webp 600w,&#10;https:\/\/media.npr.org\/assets\/img\/2023\/11\/08\/ap23117830446258_custom-826301601378bc8f01a2138565299467e90cc5fa-s800-c85.webp 800w,&#10;https:\/\/media.npr.org\/assets\/img\/2023\/11\/08\/ap23117830446258_custom-826301601378bc8f01a2138565299467e90cc5fa-s900-c85.webp 900w,&#10;https:\/\/media.npr.org\/assets\/img\/2023\/11\/08\/ap23117830446258_custom-826301601378bc8f01a2138565299467e90cc5fa-s1200-c85.webp 1200w,&#10;https:\/\/media.npr.org\/assets\/img\/2023\/11\/08\/ap23117830446258_custom-826301601378bc8f01a2138565299467e90cc5fa-s1600-c85.webp 1600w,&#10;https:\/\/media.npr.org\/assets\/img\/2023\/11\/08\/ap23117830446258_custom-826301601378bc8f01a2138565299467e90cc5fa-s1800-c85.webp 1800w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1300px) 763px, (min-width: 1025px) calc(100vw - 496px), (min-width: 768px) calc(100vw - 171px), calc(100vw - 30px)\" class=\"img\" type=\"image\/webp\"\/><source srcset=\"https:\/\/media.npr.org\/assets\/img\/2023\/11\/08\/ap23117830446258_custom-826301601378bc8f01a2138565299467e90cc5fa-s400-c85.jpg 400w,&#10;https:\/\/media.npr.org\/assets\/img\/2023\/11\/08\/ap23117830446258_custom-826301601378bc8f01a2138565299467e90cc5fa-s600-c85.jpg 600w,&#10;https:\/\/media.npr.org\/assets\/img\/2023\/11\/08\/ap23117830446258_custom-826301601378bc8f01a2138565299467e90cc5fa-s800-c85.jpg 800w,&#10;https:\/\/media.npr.org\/assets\/img\/2023\/11\/08\/ap23117830446258_custom-826301601378bc8f01a2138565299467e90cc5fa-s900-c85.jpg 900w,&#10;https:\/\/media.npr.org\/assets\/img\/2023\/11\/08\/ap23117830446258_custom-826301601378bc8f01a2138565299467e90cc5fa-s1200-c85.jpg 1200w,&#10;https:\/\/media.npr.org\/assets\/img\/2023\/11\/08\/ap23117830446258_custom-826301601378bc8f01a2138565299467e90cc5fa-s1600-c85.jpg 1600w,&#10;https:\/\/media.npr.org\/assets\/img\/2023\/11\/08\/ap23117830446258_custom-826301601378bc8f01a2138565299467e90cc5fa-s1800-c85.jpg 1800w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1300px) 763px, (min-width: 1025px) calc(100vw - 496px), (min-width: 768px) calc(100vw - 171px), calc(100vw - 30px)\" class=\"img\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"\/>\n        <\/picture>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"credit-caption\">\n<div class=\"caption-wrap\">\n<div class=\"caption\" aria-label=\"Image caption\">\n<p>\n                An aurora borealis, also known as the northern lights, is seen in the sky in the early morning hours of Monday, April 24, 2023, near Washtucna, Wash.<br \/>\n                <b class=\"credit\" aria-label=\"Image credit\"><\/p>\n<p>                    Ted S. Warren\/AP<\/p>\n<p>                <\/b><br \/>\n                <b class=\"hide-caption\"><b>hide caption<\/b><\/b>\n            <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>            <b class=\"toggle-caption\"><b>toggle caption<\/b><\/b>\n    <\/div>\n<p>    <span class=\"credit\" aria-label=\"Image credit\"><\/p>\n<p>        Ted S. Warren\/AP<\/p>\n<p>    <\/span>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"enlarge_measure\">\n<div class=\"img_wrap\">\n        <picture><source data-original=\"https:\/\/media.npr.org\/assets\/img\/2023\/11\/08\/ap23117830446258_custom-826301601378bc8f01a2138565299467e90cc5fa-s1200.webp\" type=\"image\/webp\"><source data-original=\"https:\/\/media.npr.org\/assets\/img\/2023\/11\/08\/ap23117830446258_custom-826301601378bc8f01a2138565299467e90cc5fa-s1200.jpg\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/media.npr.org\/assets\/img\/2023\/11\/08\/ap23117830446258_custom-826301601378bc8f01a2138565299467e90cc5fa-s1200.jpg\" alt=\"\"\/><br \/>\n        <\/source><\/source><\/picture>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"enlarge_html\">\n<div class=\"image_data\">\n<p class=\"caption\">An aurora borealis, also known as the northern lights, is seen in the sky in the early morning hours of Monday, April 24, 2023, near Washtucna, Wash.<\/p>\n<p>        <span class=\"credit\" aria-label=\"Image credit\"><\/p>\n<p>            Ted S. Warren\/AP<\/p>\n<p>        <\/span>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<p>Solar activity is expected to strengthen<strong> <\/strong>in 2024, which could activate more frequent displays of the aurora borealis, or the northern lights, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.<\/p>\n<p>The sun is in its 25th solar cycle, a period of activity in its magnetic field that typically lasts about 11 years. The current solar cycle began in December 2019.<\/p>\n<p>Scientists predicted at the start of cycle 25 that that solar activity would be relatively weak, similar to solar cycle 24. But an updated forecast shows the solar maximum, or peak activity, for the current cycle being reached sooner, from January to October 2024, and being much stronger than what was initially forecast.<\/p>\n<aside id=\"ad-backstage-wrap\" aria-label=\"advertisement\">\n<\/aside>\n<div id=\"res1211598752\" class=\"bucketwrap internallink insettwocolumn inset2col \">\n<div class=\"bucket img\">\n                  <picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/media.npr.org\/assets\/img\/2023\/11\/05\/gettyimages-1400223251_sq-ced2b8a0d43cda8468fc3378669c0bf6916b4f57-s100-c15.webp\" data-original=\"https:\/\/media.npr.org\/assets\/img\/2023\/11\/05\/gettyimages-1400223251_sq-ced2b8a0d43cda8468fc3378669c0bf6916b4f57-s100.webp\" data-format=\"webp\" class=\"img lazyOnLoad\" type=\"image\/webp\"\/><source srcset=\"https:\/\/media.npr.org\/assets\/img\/2023\/11\/05\/gettyimages-1400223251_sq-ced2b8a0d43cda8468fc3378669c0bf6916b4f57-s100-c15.jpg\" data-original=\"https:\/\/media.npr.org\/assets\/img\/2023\/11\/05\/gettyimages-1400223251_sq-ced2b8a0d43cda8468fc3378669c0bf6916b4f57-s100.jpg\" data-format=\"jpg\" class=\"img lazyOnLoad\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/media.npr.org\/assets\/img\/2023\/11\/05\/gettyimages-1400223251_sq-ced2b8a0d43cda8468fc3378669c0bf6916b4f57-s100.jpg\" data-format=\"jpg\" class=\"img lazyOnLoad\" alt=\"A meteor shower could send fireballs streaking through the night sky this week\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/picture>\n<p><!-- END CLASS=\"BUCKETBLOCK\" -->\n      <\/div>\n<p><!-- END CLASS=\"BUCKET IMG\" -->\n   <\/div>\n<p><!-- END ID=\"RES1211598752\" CLASS=\"BUCKETWRAP INTERNALLINK INSETTWOCOLUMN INSET2COL \" --><\/p>\n<p>&#8220;The caveat is that although we can say that solar activity is increasing and, based on previous solar cycles, that we should expect to see more examples of space weather, like the aurora, reliably forecasting such events is extremely difficult more than a few days in advance,&#8221; Lt.<strong> <\/strong>Bryan Brasher, a project manager at the Space Weather Prediction Center, told NPR.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Our prediction is that Solar Cycle 25 will still be below average but that doesn&#8217;t mean that we won&#8217;t see high activity,&#8221; he added. &#8220;We&#8217;ve already had a few strong or severe space weather storms this year.&#8221;<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"edTag\">What causes auroras?<\/h3>\n<p>Auroras are visible when strong geomagnetic storms occur in Earth&#8217;s magnetosphere. During these storms, a coronal hole \u2013 the spots that appear black on the sun \u2013 prompts high winds, which in turn, trigger coronal mass ejections, or CMEs. A CME projects plasma and pieces of the sun&#8217;s magnetic field into its atmosphere.<\/p>\n<p><!-- END ID=\"RES1211598876\" CLASS=\"BUCKETWRAP INTERNALLINK INSETTWOCOLUMN INSET2COL \" --><\/p>\n<p>Stronger disturbances around the sun can pull Earth&#8217;s magnetic field away from the planet, and when the magnetic field snaps back, it causes Alfv\u00e9n waves, which electrons sometimes cling to.<\/p>\n<p>When those electrons reach Earth&#8217;s atmosphere, they mingle with nitrogen and oxygen molecules, causing visible light that manifests as the aurora borealis.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2023\/11\/09\/1211595597\/northern-lights-aurora-borealis-2024?rand=771664\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>An aurora borealis, also known as the northern lights, is seen in the sky in the early morning hours of Monday, April 24, 2023, near Washtucna, Wash. Ted S. Warren\/AP&hellip; <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":771699,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[44],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-771698","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-npr"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/spaceweekly.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/771698","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/spaceweekly.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/spaceweekly.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/spaceweekly.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/spaceweekly.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=771698"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/spaceweekly.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/771698\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/spaceweekly.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/771699"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/spaceweekly.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=771698"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/spaceweekly.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=771698"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/spaceweekly.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=771698"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}