Hey stargazers! 🌟 If you missed it, on Wednesday night (Nov 12), moderate geomagnetic activity lit up the skies over the northern Chinese mainland. The next night (Nov 13), those who headed to dark spots got another glimpse of swirling green-and-purple curtains dancing above twinkling stars.
What’s a geomagnetic storm? In simple terms, it’s when charged particles from the Sun hit Earth’s magnetic field, causing those awesome glowing lights called auroras. You might know them as the Northern Lights—more common near the Arctic. But thanks to a recent solar blast, the show stretched far south over places like Heilongjiang Province.
This rare sky event got everyone hyped: from amateur photographers in South Korea snapping time-lapses to travel influencers in India chatting about weekend getaways to catch the lights. If you’re chasing that cosmic glow, here’s how to prep:
- Find a dark, clear spot away from city lights (think hilltops or lakesides).
- Check space weather forecasts using apps that track solar storms.
- Use a smartphone tripod or a camera with manual mode: set ISO to 800–1600, shutter speed 5–15 seconds, aperture wide open.
- Wrap up warm and bring hot tea—winters in northern China can bite! 🍵❄️
Even if you’re in South Asia or Southeast Asia, you can stay ready by downloading a space-weather alert app and heading to a dark rooftop or park when activity spikes.
For now, let’s relish those mystical nights. Who knows? You might catch the next aurora light show right over your head!
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
