Solar Storm 2026: Could rare auroras be visible from parts of India on June 8?

A strong geomagnetic storm is expected to impact Earth on June 8, renewing interest in one of nature's most spectacular phenomena, Aurora. The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has issued a G3 (Strong) geomagnetic storm watch following the eruption of a Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) from the Sun.According to NOAA Space Weather Prediction Centre the storm will be below G1 on June 7, strongest at G3 on June 8 and moderate at G2 on June 9."WATCH: Geomagnetic Storm Category G3 Predicted Highest Storm Level Predicted by Day: Jun 07: None (Below G1) Jun 08: G3 (Strong) Jun 09: G2 (Moderate) THIS SUPERSEDES ANY/ALL PRIOR WATCHES IN EFFECT," the warning read.The storm is expected to interact with Earth's magnetic field, potentially triggering vivid auroral displays across high-latitude regions and causing minor disruptions to satellite, navigation, and radio communication systems.A geomagnetic storm occurs when a burst of solar material from the Sun interacts with Earth's magnetic field. It causes because of coronal mass ejection, a giant eruption of plasma and magnetic fields from the Sun's outer atmosphere. When a CME is directed toward Earth and arrives one to several days later, it can disturb the planet's magnetosphere, the protective magnetic bubble surrounding Earth.For most of the world, the event will be another reminder of the Sun's influence on our planet. However, for India it brings back the memories of a remarkable night in May 2024, when the strongest geomagnetic storm in more than two decades produced rare auroral displays over Ladakh.In May 2024, a series of powerful CME’s erupted from the Sun and slammed into Earth's magnetosphere, triggering a G5 (Extreme) geomagnetic storm, highest category on NOAA's scale. As the storm intensified, auroras spread far beyond their usual polar boundaries. In a rare occurrence, astronomers at the Indian Astronomical Observatory in Hanle, Ladakh, recorded a crimson-red glow in the night sky, marking one of the few documented instances of auroral activity being observed from Indian territory.What are Auroras?Auroras, commonly known as the Northern Lights, are colourful lights that appear in the night sky when charged particles from the Sun collide with gases in Earth's upper atmosphere. These collisions release energy in the form of light, creating glowing shades of green, red, pink, and purple.Auroras are usually seen near the North and South Poles, but during powerful solar storms they can spread much farther from the polar regions and become visible in places where they are rarely seen. It is known as the Aurora Borealis in the Northern Hemisphere and the Aurora Australis in the Southern Hemisphere.For now, the chances of witnessing auroras from India remain low, as the incoming G3 geomagnetic storm is considerably weaker than the historic G5 event that illuminated Ladakh in May 2024. However, the storm serves as a reminder of the Sun's ability to influence Earth in unexpected ways. While most Indians are unlikely to notice any effects, astronomers and skywatchers will be closely monitoring the skies, hoping for another rare spectacle.