Intense solar storm sparks uncommon aurora in Ladakh

In the northern hemisphere, observers in Austria, Germany, Slovakia, Switzerland, Denmark, and Poland were treated to mesmerizing auroras or northern lights, which adorned the skies at higher latitudes. Enthusiasts eagerly shared their captures of these celestial dances on various social media platforms.

At the Hanle Dark Sky Reserve in Ladakh, astronomers witnessed a remarkable sight as a red glow appeared on the northwest horizon around 1 am on May 11, persisting until early dawn. Stanzin Norla, an engineer at the reserve, recounted their fortunate experience of observing Aurora activities through their all-sky camera during routine telescope observations. He noted that a subtle red hue was discernible to the naked eye along the horizon, while a DSLR camera installed at the reserve captured the event in exquisite detail.

According to Stanzin, the spectacle unfolded from approximately 1 am to 3:30 am, with the sky transitioning from a deep red hue along the horizon to a softer pinkish tone later on. Dorje Angchuk, an engineer at the Indian Astronomical Observatory in Hanle, characterized the event as a stable auroral red arc, a rare phenomenon gracing the skies above Ladakh.