People visit St Mary’s lighthouse in Whitley Bay to see the aurora borealis, commonly known as the northern lights, on May 10, 2024 in Whitley Bay, England.
Ian Forsyth | Getty Images
A rare solar storm illuminated the evening skies on Friday, with neon rays of magenta, green and blue beaming across much of the northern hemisphere.
Skywatchers gathered to witness and snap photos of the aurora borealis, typically only visible in high north latitudes. This time, however, it stretched as far south as Louisiana due to the supercharge of some intense sun eruptions.
On Thursday, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration issued its first severe geomagnetic storm warning since 2005, serving as a heads-up about Friday’s skylight show.
Here is what the aurora looked like around the world:
Liverpool, England
The aurora borealis, also known as the northern lights, glow on the horizon at Another Place by Anthony Gormley, Crosby Beach, Liverpool , Merseyside.
Peter Byrne – Pa Images | Pa Images | Getty Images
Edinburgh
The aurora borealis, also known as the northern lights, above Arthur’s Seat and Salisbury Crags in Holyrood Park, Edinburgh.
Jane Barlow | Pa Images | Getty Images
Finland
The Aurora Borealis, also known as the Northern Lights illuminate the sky in Espoo, Finland on May 10, 2024.
Heikki Saukkomaa | Afp | Getty Images
Vienna
Northern lights or aurora borealis illuminate the night sky over Vienna during a geomagnetic storm on May 11, 2024.
Max Slovencik | Afp | Getty Images
Slovenia
Northern lights light up the skies over northwestern Slovenia. The aurora that stretched over entire Europe was caused by a massive geomagnetic storm hitting the Earth.
Sopa Images | Lightrocket | Getty Images
Germany
Northern lights appear in the night sky over the Pferdskopf near Treisberg in the Hochtaunus district of Hesse.
Picture Alliance | Getty Images
Austria
Northern lights or aurora borealis illuminate the night sky over Fusch an der Großglocknerstraße, near Zell am See, Austria during a geomagnetic storm on May 11, 2024.
Jfk | Afp | Getty Images
Canada
The Aurora borealis, commonly known as the northern lights, is seen on May 11, 2024 in Manning Park, British Columbia, Canada. (Photo by Andrew Chin/Getty Images)
Andrew Chin | Getty Images
Oregon
The Northern Lights are seen above the Columbia River Gorge from Chanticleer Point Lookout in the early morning hours of May 11, 2024 in Latourell, Oregon.
Mathieu Lewis-rolland | Getty Images
San Francisco
Northern lights or aurora borealis illuminate the night sky along a highway north of San Francisco in Middletown, California on May 11, 2024.
Josh Edelson | Afp | Getty Images
San Rafael, California
Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) illuminate the sky of San Francisco North Bay as seen from China Camp Beach in San Rafael, California, United States on May 11, 2024.
Anadolu | Anadolu | Getty Images
