The northern lights, or aurora borealis, illuminate the sky as people gather to watch the annual Perseid meteor shower near the village of Borodinka in the Omsk region in Russia early Tuesday. (Alexey Malgavko/Reuters)
Late Monday and into early Tuesday morning, the Perseid meteor shower hit its peak across the northern hemisphere, delighting sky watchers with a dazzling light show that won’t be seen again until 2025.
The Perseid meteor shower, commonly known as the Perseids, is considered the brightest, most prolific meteor shower of the year. During the event, about 50 to 100 visible meteors streaked across the sky per hour, trailing long wakes of light and color behind them.
Because of this colorful and plentiful display, the Perseids are the highlight of many a meteor hunter’s calendar.
But for some lucky stargazers, the Perseids were accompanied by another incredible cosmic display: the aurora borealis, or the northern lights.
In a rare event, the Perseid meteor shower coincided with a geomagnetic storm, resulting in conditions that made the aurora borealis visible for some very fortunate sky watchers in places like Minnesota, New York and Nevada.
While the elevated geomagnetic activity was predicted by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the northern lights making an appearance was unexpected, as space weather can be unpredictable, and auroras occur only under just the right conditions.
According to NASA, solar activity has been unusually busy in recent months due to the sun entering its solar maximum, a peak in the star’s 11-year solar cycle that will cause intensified sunspots and increased geomagnetic storms. The peak will begin in late 2024 and end in early 2026, when the sun will enter its solar minimum, the period of lowest solar activity.
If you weren’t lucky enough to glimpse the celestial light show, here are some photos of the rare event captured around the world.
The massive stone sculptures at the archaeological site of Mount Nemrut in southeastern Turkey during the Perseid meteor shower. (Kemal Aslan/AFP via Getty Images)
A view from an abandoned military air base shows the night sky during the annual Perseid meteor shower in the region of Kakheti, Georgia, on Monday. (Irakli Gedenidze/Reuters)
Sheep can be seen against the night sky under flickering northern lights near Hagermarsch, in the East Frisia region of Germany early Tuesday. (Matthias Balk/picture alliance via Getty Images)
A meteor streaking across the starry sky near Glacier Point in Yosemite National Park in California late Monday night. (Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images)
A dazzling display of the northern lights over a field of hay in Brandenburg, Germany, early Tuesday. (Georg Moritz/picture alliance via Getty Images)
A meteor, center, can be seen as a satellite crosses the night sky over the post-Camaldolese monastery in the Suwalki region in Poland late Monday. (Sergei Gapon/AFP via Getty Images)
People gather to watch the spectacular display of the annual Perseid meteor shower and the northern lights near the village of Borodinka in the Omsk region of Russia early Tuesday. (Alexey Malgavko/Reuters)
Ancient statues atop Mount Nemrut in southeastern Turkey are seen during the Perseid meteor shower late Monday. (Emrah Gurel/AP)
The northern lights illuminate the sky above Joshua Tree National Park in California during the Perseid meteor shower. (Apu Gomes/AFP via Getty Images)
A geomagnetic storm produces vibrant green and pink colors during the peak of the Perseid meteor shower in Aitkin, Minn., on Monday night. (Christopher Mark Juhn/Anadolu via Getty Images)
A meteor streaks across the sky above a destroyed tank left on Bjelasnica mountain following the war in Bosnia. (Armin Durgut/AP)
A spectacular display during the Perseid meteor shower is observed at Mount Nemrut, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Turkey. (Murat Sengul/Anadolu via Getty Images)
The northern lights illuminate the sky above a field in the Suwalki region of Poland. (Sergei Gapon/AFP via Getty Images)
The Perseid meteor shower as seen at Glacier Point in Yosemite National Park in California. (Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images)
A rare colorful display as the northern lights illuminate the sky over New York. (Fatih Aktas/Anadolu via Getty Images)
A meteor streaks across the sky during the Perseids meteor shower peak at Pedernales Falls State Park in Johnson City, Texas. (Rick Kern/Getty Images)
Dr. Sarah Adams is a scientist and science communicator who makes complex topics accessible to all. Her articles explore breakthroughs in various scientific disciplines, from space exploration to cutting-edge research.
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