COLUMBIA, S.C. — The northern lights reappeared in South Carolina on Thursday night, something rarely seen in the lower latitudes. Yet, this is the second time they've been seen as far south in 2024.
The lights are the result of a coronal mass ejection (CME) from the sun days earlier, which led to a G4 geomagnetic storm that reached Earth on Thursday. The energy from the storm interacts with the Earth's magnetic field and can cause auroras in the sky, though they are more often seen in the far northern and southern reaches of the globe.
Residents around South Carolina shared their pictures of the rare storm on Thursday night. Here are a few:
Photo gallery: Northern lights illuminate South Carolina skies
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