Cannibal solar storm sparks dazzling northern lights across Europe and North America (photos)

A cannibal solar storm slammed into Earth’s magnetic field around 5 p.m. EDT (2100 GMT) on Sept. 1, sparking a geomagnetic storm that lit up skies across Europe and North America overnight.

The storm reached G2 (moderate) levels according to both the U.K. Met Office and NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC), and while different conditions could have produced even more intense auroras, skywatchers still managed to capture dazzling displays of the northern lights.

This storm was described as a “cannibal CME,” whereby one coronal mass ejection sweeps up another en route to Earth, creating a more complex and often more powerful disturbance in the solar wind.

Forecasts had hinted at the potential for a much stronger event. The U.K. Met Office and NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center predicted G2–G3 activity with even a chance of G4 (severe) levels. When the CME arrived, solar wind speeds jumped to over 670 km/s and the interplanetary magnetic field strengthened to 20–26 nanotesla — all the ingredients for a powerful storm. However, the north-south magnetic orientation, known as Bz, stayed stubbornly northward for much of the event, limiting how much energy could couple into Earth’s magnetosphere.

“As we suspected the #solarstorm has made a strong entrance, but it is oriented the wrong way,” solar physicist Tamitha Skov wrote on X. Space weather forecaster Sara Housseal added that despite the “prolonged +Bz,” the storm held in the G1–G2 range thanks to the large amount of energy still circulating in the magnetosphere.

Even so, bursts of activity gave skywatchers in northern Europe, Canada, and parts of the northern United States a chance to witness the aurora. From Slovakia to Iceland to North America, observers reported vibrant greens and occasional purples — proof that even a stubborn solar storm can still put on a show.

Stevo Howells captured a remarkable aurora display from Hopeman, Scotland. “Wow, the sky just lit up pink and green 🤯 filmed it live on my phone,” Howells posted on X.

Aurora chaser Julie Winn saw the northern lights dance above Whittledene Ponds in Northumberland, U.K.

“Headed out to find clear sky after the initial shock, had a wonderful visual eyeball by 12.30 am BST,” Winn told Space.com. “We then waited it out, hoping for another drop in Bz, which didn’t come, but had bright pink on camera right through till 4 am.”

Photographer Paul Appleby captured this stunning scene unfolding over St Mary’s Lighthouse, Whitley Bay, U.K.

“Well, that’s the first one of the season in the bag. Lovely show of Aurora Borealis at St. Mary’s Lighthouse tonight,” Appleby wrote in a post on X.

Meanwhile, Tomas Janega saw a subtle red aurora glow as far south as Slovakia.

Aurora chaser Mikhaël Vervoort captured a stunning aurora show from Denmark around 1:25 a.m. local time on Sept. 2.

Photographer Alexis Linant caught this colorful aurora show above Puy de Dôme, France.

“Nothing exceptional due to a BZ way too oscillating unfortunately, too bad, it was starting off pretty well! This was followed by a wait of several hours afterwards for.. Nothing.” Linant wrote in a post on X (translated from French via X).

X user Jamie captured a stunning timelapse of the northern lights dancing above Grand Bend, Ontario, Canada.

Greg Gage caught the show unfold over Sistersville, West Virginia.

“Labor Day ended with an auroral display here in Sistersville, WV,” Gage told Space.com. “The aurora was low on the horizon with nice pastel pinks. The display only lasted about half an hour.”

Leah Howard got a great view of the aurora show during a flight south of Pittsburgh, U.S.

“Extraordinary view of the aurora tonight flying just south of Pittsburgh!” Howard wrote in a post on X.

Photographer Alex Resel captured some nice red pillars from North Dakota.
“Weak aurora northeast of Tower City, North Dakota now,” Resel wrote on X.

Aurora chaser Igor Arkadiev snapped these incredible photos of the northern lights above Washington Island, Wisconsin.

“Despite the highly anticipated CME being a letdown with mostly positive Bz, the brief early-night display was still a joy to watch with friends,” Arkadiev wrote in a post on X.