Romance is in the air today — and also predicted to be in space tonight. The conditions are perfect for a Valentine’s Day date with the aurora borealis on February 14, 2025. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) says a solar wind stream is heading toward Earth just in time for the star-crossed lovers to gaze upon it together.
Auroras occur when electrons from space enter Earth’s magnetic field and collide with atoms and molecules in the upper atmosphere. These collisions produce light in much the same way as electrons in a neon light collide with the gas to produce colors, according to a NOAA Aurora Tutorial.
Solar winds increase aurora activity, because they deliver more electrons faster into the atmosphere. Those speedy solar winds increase the geomagnetic activity, which often makes the aurora bigger and brighter. Those winds also push it farther away from the Earth’s poles — ...
