Spring Equinox Aurora

A severe (Kp 8) geomagnetic storm on March 23, 2023, just 3 days after spring equinox, produced colourful aurora visible in the outskirt of the Waterloo Region in Ontario. Aurora is driven by solar activities, which ebb and flow following an 11-year cycle. The current solar cycle is expected to peak some time in 2024. In addition, aurora activities also peak around the spring and fall equinoxes, when the sun’s magnetic field and the earth’s magnetic field are in better alignment, increasing the chance of solar wind particles reaching Earth’s upper atmosphere creating aurora.