Home / Weather News /

Not just an Earthly phenomenon

07:00 PM
April 25, 2024

Auroras seen on Mars
Not just an Earthly phenomenon

Martian northern lights

We Earthlings aren't the only ones seeing northern lights. Mars has them too, but globally!

Global auroras were spotted on Mars. This means that the "northern lights" aren't just seen in the north on the Red Planet but at any other latitude, even as far south (or north, depending on which pole you're looking at) as the Martian equator!

Why does this happen?

Mars does not have protection from solar storms like Earth does. Earth has a magnetic field to deflect the incoming coronal mass ejections that cause the geomagnetic storms that also cause the northern lights, but Mars lacks this protective layer.

Settings for external content

Privacy policy

Is this common?

Mars is not new to auroras, but the Red Planet is experiencing its highest geomagnetic storm activity in the last 10 years, according to Nick Schneider of the University of Colorado's Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP). "In February alone, there were three episodes of global auroras--an 'aurora hat trick' we've never seen before."

The auroras don't just show with only head-on collisions between the coronal mass ejections (CMEs) and the planet. They can also light up the Martian skies when being side-swiped by solar energetic particles, which are moved by shock waves caused by CMEs.

Becca Parker
More on the topic
Saturday, April 26, 2025

Off the coast of Sardinia

Waterspout seen from cruise ship
easter
Sunday, April 20, 2025

A chance to reflect

Happy Easter to all
Waterspouts weatherradar.
Monday, May 26, 2025

They can be dangerous

Waterspouts possible, what are they?
All weather news
This might also interest you
Sunday, June 8, 2025

What to know

The dangers of hail
Track hurricanes & tropical storms on the Weather & Radar app!
Wednesday, June 11, 2025

Hurricane season

Track hurricanes on the app
Wednesday, June 11, 2025

Daily briefing

Stormy Rockies, Texas
All articles
Weather & Radar

www.weatherandradar.com

instagramfacebookthreadsContact uslinkList
Privacy policy | Legal info