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Scientists noted that this marked the sixth occurrence in the ongoing solar cycle where such a powerful red aurora was observed at Hanle, an area well known for its exceptionally dark skies and stable atmospheric clarity.
The skies were set ablaze with red, colourful lights in Ladakh on the nights of 19 and 20 January, when the strongest solar storm struck Earth’s magnetic field. The Indian Astronomical Observatory (IAO), located above Mount Saraswati, captured the phenomenon, which showed a striking blood-red aurora illuminating the sky — a sight usually associated with high latitudes in the Arctic region.
Scientists noted that this marked the sixth occurrence in the ongoing solar cycle where such a powerful red aurora was observed at Hanle, an area well known for its exceptionally dark skies and stable atmospheric clarity.
The rare phenomenon was triggered by an intense geomagnetic storm that began in the early hours of January 20, shortly after a coronal mass ejection (CME) released from the Sun on January 18 reached Earth.
This CME originated from an X1.9-class solar flare in Active Region 14341, located close to the centre of the solar disk. Travelling at high velocity, the ejected solar material collided with Earth’s magnetosphere, generating geomagnetic disturbances that escalated to a G4 severity level on the NOAA scale—categorised as "severe" and strong enough to produce auroral displays well beyond polar latitudes.
The striking deep red hue of the aurora resulted from the excitation of oxygen atoms in the upper layers of Earth’s atmosphere, a reaction intensified by the high-energy particles transported by the CME.
Why did the aurora appear red instead of green?
Auroras are most commonly green, especially near the polar regions. However, red auroras occur when oxygen atoms at much higher altitudes interact with energetic solar particles. During this event, a powerful solar storm propelled charged particles from the Sun towards Earth. As these particles disturbed Earth’s magnetic field, the interaction produced a deep red glow that was visible even at Ladakh’s latitude.
According to experts, red auroras are highly uncommon at lower latitudes such as India. Their appearance depends on exceptionally strong solar activity combined with ideal atmospheric and viewing conditions. In this case, powerful solar storms paired with the dark, clear skies of the Himalayas allowed the phenomenon to be seen. The event demonstrates that charged particles from the Sun can travel far beyond their usual reach. Scientists are continuing to analyse such occurrences to better understand their implications for space weather.
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