Hold onto your hats, because Earth just unveiled a breathtaking celestial display!

In the past 24 hours, our planet has been buzzing from a powerful coronal mass ejection (CME) that clashed spectacularly with Earth's magnetic field on April 15. But this wasn’t just any CME; it was a rare 'cannibal' CME, formed when two CMEs, released in rapid succession from a double filament eruption on the sun, merged into one mighty blast.

As the CMEs approached Earth, the anticipation grew. Would they arrive separately or join forces? Ultimately, the vibrant auroras that lit up the skies worldwide indicated they combined into one mighty event. NOAA even raised a G3 geomagnetic storm warning for April 16, but conditions escalated, briefly hitting an intense G4 level. NOAA ranks geomagnetic storms on a scale from G1 (minor) to G5 (extreme), and this storm certainly delivered!

Let's dive into some jaw-dropping aurora photography from across North America, Europe, and even the Southern Hemisphere during this extraordinary solar storm.

Aurora Highlights from Around the Globe

In Tampere, Finland, photographer Austin MacDonald captured stunning images of the auroras amidst G4 conditions. He expressed, "I was amazed and almost overwhelmed. I’ve seen auroras often here, but last night felt truly special!" He noted that around 2345 EET, the aurora activity intensified dramatically.

"It felt like I was standing inside a 360-degree aurora sphere. It made me feel incredibly small," MacDonald recounted. For him, witnessing this natural wonder felt akin to catching the atmospheric version of a perfect storm, where all elements align just right.

Across the Irish Sea, photographer Sryan Bruen snapped an incredible photo of the northern lights shimmering over Ballynafagh Church in Kildare, Ireland, at 10:11 PM local time.

Astrophotographer Astro Ben captured a delightful timelapse of the auroras right in his garden in the U.K., exclaiming, "Beautiful Aurora Borealis seen tonight in England, UK!" Meanwhile, aurora enthusiast Cat Perkinton marveled at the vibrant colors decorating the Stirling skies.

In West Cork, Ireland, photographer Alan Mac Cárthaigh described an eye-popping pink auroral display, while a photographer in Germany reported faint northern lights visible in rural areas, bringing excitement to a new audience.

Down south, user aurorausau photographed the stunning aurora australis (southern lights), which outshone a full moon, garnishing the skies with breathtaking beams and colors.

As the excitement winds down, there are still prospects for northern lights at high latitudes tonight. NOAA's forecasts suggest that the Kp index could peak at 4.33, providing further opportunities for skywatchers to capture these mesmerizing displays. For the latest on potential auroral activities, be sure to check NOAA's 3-day outlook!