This is the moment the skies above southern Spain turned red and green during a ‘severe’ geomagnetic storm.
The stunning images were recorded by the Calar Alto observatory in the province of Almeria, in Andalucia.
They were captured at 3.50am on Wednesday, after scientists detected a coronal mass ejection (CME) from the sun, travelling at an estimated 1,500 kilometres per second.
The observatory said: ‘A scarlet aurora once again lights up Calar Alto.
‘The Sun sent us two intense waves of particles at 1,500 km/s which, upon reaching Earth, triggered a major magnetic storm (Kp 8–9, G4 severe) and painted the sky red.’
Experts have warned that the geomagnetic storm could be ‘severe’, potentially affecting satellites, power grids and navigation systems. However, they stress that there is no direct biological risk to the population.
The European Space Agency (ESA) is closely monitoring the event through its network of space weather centres, gathering detailed data on what is being described as one of the most significant solar events in recent years.
Spain’s own Space Agency (AEE), working in coordination with its European counterpart, is tracking the storm to anticipate any potentially critical developments.
According to the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, the effects over Spain ‘are expected to be limited and short-lived’.
The ministry added that there would be no serious consequences for the public or for the operation of national technological systems.
Officials emphasised that Spain’s mid-latitude position, far from polar regions, greatly reduces the strength of any geomagnetic disturbances. As a result, no major damage or interruptions are anticipated to critical infrastructure such as energy networks or communication systems.
