Aurora

The most dramatic effects of the impacting plasma clouds, from active sunspots are auroras. Earlier this month active sunspot region 2158 rotated into view and unleashed a series of flares and plasma ejections into the Solar System.   Image © Jeremy P. Gray

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In the featured image taken last Friday night, rays and sheets of multicolored auroras were captured over Acadia National Park, in Maine, USA.

In particular, a pair of Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) impacted the Earth’s magnetosphere toward the end of last week, creating the most intense geomagnetic storm so far this year.

Since another CME plasma cloud is currently approaching the Earth, tonight offers another good chance to see an impressive auroral display.

source APOD