{"id":248020,"date":"2026-01-20T12:20:25","date_gmt":"2026-01-20T12:20:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/248020\/"},"modified":"2026-01-20T12:20:25","modified_gmt":"2026-01-20T12:20:25","slug":"severe-g4-geomagnetic-storm-sparks-jaw-dropping-northern-lights-worldwide-photos","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/248020\/","title":{"rendered":"Severe G4 geomagnetic storm sparks jaw-dropping northern lights worldwide (photos)"},"content":{"rendered":"

We were expecting a show and boy did it deliver.<\/p>\n

Skywatchers around the world were treated to stunning auroras<\/a> that surged far beyond their usual polar limits, lighting up mid-latitude skies during a severe G4 geomagnetic storm.<\/p>\n

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Northern lights were reported across mid-latitudes, with sightings stretching from Germany to the southwestern United States, including New Mexico, during a night of rapidly fluctuating geomagnetic conditions that fluctuated between G1, G2, G3 and G4 storm levels.<\/p>\n

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The display was triggered by the arrival of an exceptionally fast coronal mass ejection<\/a> (CME) that struck Earth’s magnetic field at around 2:38 p.m. EST (1938 GMT) on Jan. 19, when geomagnetic conditions first escalated to G4 (severe) storm levels, according to NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center<\/a>. The CME had blasted away from the sun just a day earlier, on Jan. 18, during a powerful X1.9 solar flare<\/a> \u2014 giving it remarkably little time to cross the roughly 91 million miles<\/a> (147 million kilometers) between the sun<\/a> and Earth<\/a>.<\/p>\n

After the initial shock arrival, the passage of the CME itself kept Earth’s magnetic field<\/a> in a highly disturbed state for hours, producing repeated surges of auroral activity as storm levels rose and fell through the night, according to the U.K. Met Office<\/a>.<\/p>\n

We’ve gathered up some of the best photos from last night’s aurora activity captured by skywatchers around the world.<\/p>\n

Photographer Greg Gage sent us these stunning views of the northern lights captured from Deming, New Mexico, at 32\u00b0 latitude!<\/p>\n

Breaking space news, the latest updates on rocket launches, skywatching events and more!<\/p>\n

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\"redNorthern lights captured from Deming, New Mexico, on Jan. 19. (Image credit: Greg Gage)\"redNorthern lights captured from Deming, New Mexico, on Jan. 19. (Image credit: Greg Gage)<\/p>\n

“I live in Sistersville, WV and that is usually where I catch aurora. However, I’m on a 2-week ‘snowbird’ getaway to Deming, NM,” Gage told Space.com in an email.<\/p>\n

“In WV I am at latitude 40\u00b0. The last thing I expected was to catch auroras this far south. But a G4 CME was able to make it this far south. Wow!!”<\/p>\n

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Northern lights captured from Deming, New Mexico, on Jan. 19. (Image credit: Greg Gage)<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, in Germany, the northern lights danced above the river M\u00fcggelspree. This stunning photo was captured by photographer Florian Gaertner.<\/p>\n

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Northern lights from Berlin, Germany. (Image credit: Florian Gaertner\/Photothek via Getty Images)<\/p>\n

Auroras flooded the skies above the village of Abaujvar, Hungary, with vivid hues of red and green. The beautiful photograph was captured by photographer Robert Nemeti.<\/p>\n

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Aurora show from Hungary. (Image credit: Robert Nemeti\/Anadolu via Getty Images)<\/p>\n

In France, photographer Jerome Gilles captured this eerie scene as rich magenta auroras filled the sky above Morbihan, Brittany.<\/p>\n

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Northern lights above Brittany, France. (Image credit: Jerome Gilles\/NurPhoto via Getty Images)<\/p>\n

Photographer Chi Shiyong had front row seats to an incredibly colorful display above Beiji Village, Mohe City, Heilongjiang Province, China.<\/p>\n

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Northern lights above Beiji Village, Mohe City, Heilongjiang Province of China. (Image credit: \u00a0Chi Shiyong\/VCG via Getty Images)<\/p>\n

Rich magenta hues fill the sky as distinct pillars also start to take form.<\/p>\n

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Northern lights above Beiji Village, Mohe City, Heilongjiang Province of China. (Image credit: Chi Shiyong\/VCG via Getty Images)<\/p>\n

In Germany, photographer Sascha Schuermann captured a dramatic scene unfolding in the skies above North Rhine-Westphalia, western Germany.<\/p>\n

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The northern lights fill the sky above North Rhine-Westphalia, western Germany. (Image credit: SASCHA SCHUERMANN \/ AFP via Getty Images)<\/p>\n

Many skywatchers took to X to share their impressive shots of the aurora show.<\/p>\n

Photographer Mathieu Rivrin<\/a> captured a stunning timelapse of the northern lights dancing above the C\u00f4te de Granit Rose (the Pink Granite Coast), Brittany, France.<\/p>\n

Aurores bor\u00e9ales sur la c\u00f4te de granit rose – 20 janvier 2026#auroresboreales #bretagne pic.twitter.com\/xeOsws6MmFJanuary 20, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

Aurora chaser Alex Masse<\/a> captured a stunning view of tall aurora pillars from Kerwood, Ontario, Canada, at 10:55 p.m. local time.<\/p>\n

As good as it got.1055pmKerwood, ON 42.89N#aurora pic.twitter.com\/eZZl883GT0January 20, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

Amateur astrophotographer Damian<\/a> shared some remarkable photos captured from Munich, south Germany!<\/p>\n

“It was absolutely amazing, really unbelievable and unforgettable,” Damian wrote in a post on X.<\/p>\n

A little best of todays stunning aurora-show over Munich, South Germany! \ud83d\ude0d\ud83e\udd29It was absolutely amazing, really unbelievable and unforgettable.#aurora #Polarlichter #M\u00fcnchen pic.twitter.com\/g2xYDaN4s4January 20, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

Storm chaser Wouter van Bernebeek <\/a>shared a beautiful photo of the northern lights dancing above Nijmegen, Netherlands, at around 10:20 p.m. local time.<\/p>\n

Genieten van een intense noorderlichtshow! De kleuren waren opvallend fel: een ‘dansende’ groene band hing zelfs helemaal richting het zuiden. Ook tof om te zien dat zoveel mensen het #noorderlicht nu een keer zelf konden spotten \ud83c\udf0cMijn eerste foto rond 22.20u vlakbij Nijmegen: pic.twitter.com\/wIU1JpkuzPJanuary 20, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

While geomagnetic activity is expected to gradually ease, space weather forecasters say conditions remain unsettled \u2014 meaning there’s still a chance the northern lights could make another appearance tonight if solar wind conditions cooperate.<\/p>\n

So keep those camera batteries charged and aurora alerts switched on, we may not be done just yet.<\/p>\n