Holes in the Sun! Tonight Could Bring a Dazzling Northern Lights Show
Quick Summary
Two large holes have opened in the Sun’s outer atmosphere. They are blasting fast-moving solar wind toward Earth. That wind is expected to arrive today, and it could set off a beautiful aurora light show tonight.
What Happened?
You might picture the Sun as a perfect, smooth glowing ball. But its outer atmosphere — called the corona — is full of activity. Sometimes large patches open up where the Sun’s magnetic field points out into space instead of curving back. These patches are called coronal holes, and they act like giant hoses that spray fast solar wind in every direction.
Right now, two large coronal holes are facing Earth. Scientists spotted one near the top of the Sun and one near the bottom. Together, they look a bit like the wings of a butterfly! The fast solar wind streaming from them is expected to reach Earth today, September 14 — and could keep arriving through September 16.
Solar wind is made of tiny charged particles zooming through space at more than a million miles per hour. When this stream slams into Earth’s magnetic field, it causes the field to wobble and vibrate. That sends energy surging into Earth’s upper atmosphere near the poles. The energy excites gas particles there, making them glow in beautiful ribbons of color — green, purple, red, and pink. That colorful light show is called an aurora, or the Northern Lights.
Space weather forecasters say this event could reach G1 or even G2 levels. G1 is a minor storm; G2 is moderate. People in Canada, Alaska, Scandinavia, Scotland, and the northern parts of the United States have the best chance of seeing the lights.
Here is an extra bonus: September is one of the best months of the year for auroras because of something called the Russell-McPherron effect. Near the September equinox, Earth’s magnetic field lines up in a way that lets in more solar energy — like a door opening wider.
Why Does It Matter?
Auroras are one of nature’s most spectacular shows, and they are completely safe to watch. But strong solar wind events can also affect power grids, radio signals, and satellites. Forecasters at NOAA keep a close watch on the Sun so they can warn airlines, power companies, and astronauts on the Space Station when a big storm is coming.
This event is a good reminder that the Sun and Earth are connected in remarkable ways — even across 93 million miles of space.
Big Words
- corona — the Sun’s outer atmosphere, which is much hotter than the surface and stretches millions of miles into space
- coronal hole — an area in the Sun’s corona where the magnetic field opens up, letting solar wind escape fast
- solar wind — a stream of charged particles (mostly electrons and protons) that flows outward from the Sun in all directions
- aurora — colorful lights in the sky near Earth’s poles, caused by solar particles colliding with atmospheric gases
- geomagnetic storm — a disturbance in Earth’s magnetic field caused by solar wind, rated G1 (minor) to G5 (extreme)
Fun Fact
The green color in most auroras comes from oxygen atoms about 60 miles above Earth’s surface — roughly the height at which space begins. Red auroras come from oxygen much higher up, around 200 miles. Blue and purple come from nitrogen.
Think About It
Auroras happen near both the North Pole and the South Pole. What do you think it would be like to see a night sky full of dancing, colored lights? Where in the world would you go to see them?
Sources
- EarthSky.org — Sun news: Huge coronal holes take center stage (Sept 13, 2026)
- SpaceWeather.com — Sept 13, 2026 report on dual coronal holes
- Space.com — Aurora alert! Butterfly-shaped ‘hole’ in sun’s atmosphere could spark geomagnetic storm Sept. 13–14