Back to today’s briefing

Story perspectives

Unusual Green Blobs Illuminate New England's Night Sky

11/19/2025

39 3 Full Breakdown

Summary

Story summary

The northern lights, known as the Aurora Borealis, were observed in New England as unusual greenish proton aurora blobs.
These blobs arise from geomagnetic storms caused by coronal mass ejections when protons strike Earth's atmosphere.
Colors vary with altitude and atmospheric gas, with green most common due to the human eye's sensitivity.

History

Historical Context

The Carrington Event, occurring on September 1-2, 1859, was the most intense geomagnetic storm recorded, caused by a coronal mass ejection from the Sun. It disrupted telegraph systems across North America and Europe, igniting fires and delivering shocks to operators. Recent observations of auroras in New England echo this historical event, underscoring the ongoing influence of solar activity on Earth's technology and atmosphere.

1 of 2

Story summary

The northern lights, known as the Aurora Borealis, were observed in New England as unusual greenish proton aurora blobs.
These blobs arise from geomagnetic storms caused by coronal mass ejections when protons strike Earth's atmosphere.
Colors vary with altitude and atmospheric gas, with green most common due to the human eye's sensitivity.

1 / 2