![The Northern Lights in the night sky above the village of Daillens, Switzerland. EPA](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/XQGUGWXETRWTZYDNJBOIPWUHMU.jpg?smart=true&auth=62fbd1469e13b9646059368e4277c759dc416ad0d27e97c5ca1cf21ad712ac0d&width=400&height=225)
![The aurora borealis, known as the Northern Lights, shine over St Mary's Lighthouse in Whitley Bay, Tyne and Wear, northern England, on Friday May 10. PA](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/FP6AC4L3WP3CGDMWA6LDDPT7TE.jpg?smart=true&auth=d43241008151eff3d869a1c871c0599f78205f6c7a993ed08546c73628d48500&width=400&height=225)
![Northern Lights over St Croix State Forest near Markville, Minnesota. The most powerful solar storm in more than two decades struck Earth on May 10, triggering spectacular light shows in skies from Tasmania to the UK. AP Photo](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/MRMRXLHH5A4UPI743GKKNKBKLM.jpg?smart=true&auth=4ac6803b99d87ac1657f14fe0f2a56ba60968bed8ae1950243c3ae6aaf982a12&width=400&height=225)
![The aurora borealis over the National Monument of Scotland in Edinburgh. AFP](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/U3A5FQMNVAP7KOU5YGP6F2R55Y.jpg?smart=true&auth=6b89127c51e6f2d7c9bf2845fad29120a022f8700ec4c78f9ad2f26bb9e40f9e&width=400&height=225)
![Northern Lights over Portsmouth, New Hampshire. AP Photo](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/OM6ZG55IJTFCIMOD26O72RUSEM.jpg?smart=true&auth=f6c4880cb9e9c369a9c514dbc7c0b1e42c6c0009d5b71bab3b660a2f0bc578b8&width=400&height=225)
![The aurora borealis over Crosby Beach, Liverpool, northern England. PA](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/WS5XJA6GFEA4LMDMJCXLDKDQDM.jpg?smart=true&auth=7127476d20dd809cdf1353176b1eb2a1be14af78cb8fb0dfca9a45910d689f1b&width=400&height=225)
![Northern Lights appear in the night sky above the Brocken in Schierke, northern Germany. AP Photo](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/EG72APTVTPRR7GA2263NCX23JU.jpg?smart=true&auth=7713694ce541a31995b5f0e8e3bf10f5af8d541820f10319655d98bd01b3937b&width=400&height=225)
![Hues in the night sky over East Brandenburg, Germany. AP Photo](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/HIH54IKSPD2Q2CZNNRZO3D3A2E.jpg?smart=true&auth=b3c207c9feb57dfa26784f6368e6d38176426af9b026faf290988460262ffb94&width=400&height=225)
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![The Northern Lights shine above a hotel in Speyer, Germany. EPA](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/SZMC42HSQAGPDSZP44I53TQTO4.jpg?smart=true&auth=99855443cd91dfc33b817642470465230516ba177045cf8f75d03b0f9531795a&width=400&height=225)
![The Northern Lights in the night sky above the village of Daillens, Switzerland. EPA](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/XQGUGWXETRWTZYDNJBOIPWUHMU.jpg?smart=true&auth=62fbd1469e13b9646059368e4277c759dc416ad0d27e97c5ca1cf21ad712ac0d&width=400&height=225)
![The aurora borealis, known as the Northern Lights, shine over St Mary's Lighthouse in Whitley Bay, Tyne and Wear, northern England, on Friday May 10. PA](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/FP6AC4L3WP3CGDMWA6LDDPT7TE.jpg?smart=true&auth=d43241008151eff3d869a1c871c0599f78205f6c7a993ed08546c73628d48500&width=400&height=225)
![Northern Lights over St Croix State Forest near Markville, Minnesota. The most powerful solar storm in more than two decades struck Earth on May 10, triggering spectacular light shows in skies from Tasmania to the UK. AP Photo](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/MRMRXLHH5A4UPI743GKKNKBKLM.jpg?smart=true&auth=4ac6803b99d87ac1657f14fe0f2a56ba60968bed8ae1950243c3ae6aaf982a12&width=400&height=225)
![The aurora borealis over the National Monument of Scotland in Edinburgh. AFP](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/U3A5FQMNVAP7KOU5YGP6F2R55Y.jpg?smart=true&auth=6b89127c51e6f2d7c9bf2845fad29120a022f8700ec4c78f9ad2f26bb9e40f9e&width=400&height=225)
![Northern Lights over Portsmouth, New Hampshire. AP Photo](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/OM6ZG55IJTFCIMOD26O72RUSEM.jpg?smart=true&auth=f6c4880cb9e9c369a9c514dbc7c0b1e42c6c0009d5b71bab3b660a2f0bc578b8&width=400&height=225)
![The aurora borealis over Crosby Beach, Liverpool, northern England. PA](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/WS5XJA6GFEA4LMDMJCXLDKDQDM.jpg?smart=true&auth=7127476d20dd809cdf1353176b1eb2a1be14af78cb8fb0dfca9a45910d689f1b&width=400&height=225)
![Northern Lights appear in the night sky above the Brocken in Schierke, northern Germany. AP Photo](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/EG72APTVTPRR7GA2263NCX23JU.jpg?smart=true&auth=7713694ce541a31995b5f0e8e3bf10f5af8d541820f10319655d98bd01b3937b&width=400&height=225)
![Hues in the night sky over East Brandenburg, Germany. AP Photo](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/HIH54IKSPD2Q2CZNNRZO3D3A2E.jpg?smart=true&auth=b3c207c9feb57dfa26784f6368e6d38176426af9b026faf290988460262ffb94&width=400&height=225)
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![Admirers watch the aurora borealis over Gloucester, Massachusetts. Reuters](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/GBUBIPWJ6C7V5LYQJO3BTRVXFQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=1b3b3b173fe3625d05d4dd8ef1838f6d5e1b33a4f7cd4ac5faa6a116338494ec&width=400&height=225)
![The Northern Lights shine above a hotel in Speyer, Germany. EPA](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/SZMC42HSQAGPDSZP44I53TQTO4.jpg?smart=true&auth=99855443cd91dfc33b817642470465230516ba177045cf8f75d03b0f9531795a&width=400&height=225)
![The Northern Lights in the night sky above the village of Daillens, Switzerland. EPA](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/XQGUGWXETRWTZYDNJBOIPWUHMU.jpg?smart=true&auth=62fbd1469e13b9646059368e4277c759dc416ad0d27e97c5ca1cf21ad712ac0d&width=400&height=225)
Solar storm: First 'extreme' event in 20 years produces spectacular auroras
Skies from Britain to Tasmania light up, but space weather forecaster warns geomagnetic storm threatens satellites and power grids
Stephen Nelmes
May 11, 2024
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