Citizen Scientists Capture Brilliant Photos of the Aurora

Citizen Scientists Capture Brilliant Photos of the Aurora

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On May 11, 2024, the day-night band of VIIRS (Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite) on the Suomi NPP satellite spotted the aurora borealis over the United States during the strongest geomagnetic storm in over two decades. That same night, observers on the ground captured spectacular photographs of the dazzling light. The following photos represent just a handful of those shot by citizen scientists as part of NASA’s Aurorasaurus project, which tracks aurora sightings around the planet.

Photo by Gunjan Sinha, acquired on May 11, 2024, from near Saskatoon in Saskatchewan, Canada.

Photo by Gunjan Sinha, acquired on May 11, 2024, from near Saskatoon in Saskatchewan, Canada.

Photo by Kashmir Wilkinson, acquired on May 11, 2024, from the Olympic Peninsula in Washington, U.S.

Photo by Kashmir Wilkinson, acquired on May 10, 2024, from the Olympic Peninsula in Washington, U.S.

Photo by Justin Anderson, acquired on May 11, 2024, from Steep Rock in Manitoba, Canada.

Photo by Justin Anderson, acquired on May 10, 2024, from Sydney in Manitoba, Canada.

Photo by Justin Anderson, acquired on May 10, 2024, from Sydney in Manitoba, Canada.

Photo by Christian Harris, acquired on May 11, 2024, from Utica, Ohio, U.S.

Photo by Hannahbella Nel, acquired on May 11, 2024, from the Glasfynydd Forest in Wales.

The aurora australis dazzled viewers in the southern hemisphere. Photo by Allison Jaynes, acquired on May 11, 2024, from Nugget Point on the South Island of New Zealand.

Photo by Allison Jaynes, acquired on May 11, 2024, from Nugget Point on the South Island of New Zealand.

Photo by Rebecca Douglas, acquired on May 11, 2024, from the Shetland Islands, U.K. ©Rebecca Douglas, published with permission.