Overview
- Vivid auroras were observed across France overnight from Île-de-France and Normandy to the Alps and far south, with many sightings between about 02:50 and 05:30 and some visible to the naked eye.
- NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center classified the event as a G4 geomagnetic storm, and the Kp index topped 8 on the 0–9 scale.
- Forecasters expect renewed activity overnight into Thursday, with projections near Kp 8 and most likely viewing windows reported between roughly 23:00 and 03:00.
- Observers are advised to seek dark northern horizons away from city lights, use short‑term space‑weather alerts (about 30–90 minutes ahead), and consider live webcams such as those on skaping.com or satellite imagery from services like Météo & Radar.
- Reports noted atypical red, blue and mauve hues alongside green, consistent with intense solar input exciting oxygen and nitrogen at different altitudes as explained by astronomers including Éric Lagadec.