The cycle of solar activity that drives auroras is weakening, but a forthcoming study suggests Earth will eventually see more auroras than usual.
First, the bad news for stargazers: Auroras are going dark in many parts of the world.
The number of these atmospheric light shows won’t bottom out for several years, which means locations far from Earth’s poles — such as the UK and northern continental US — may rarely if ever see the Northern Lights during that time. A study published earlier this year hints this dearth of auroras may last for decades.
But there’s plenty of good news.
This coming dip in auroras is normal and expected, due to what scientists know about a repeating 11-year cycle of solar activity. The sun just finished its last peak, called a solar maximum, in 2014, during which time researchers saw more sunspots, outbursts of solar particles, and auroras on Earth. Around solar minimum — in 2020 or 2021 — the reverse is expected to happen.
Tech: Earth will see fewer auroras for years — but scientists are predicting a big comeback
