If the Biggest Solar Storm in History Happened Today

On September 1, 1859, a mega solar flare erupted and caused a huge geomagnetic storm on Earth.

The flare eruption was so intense that British astronomer Richard Carrington could spot two blinding bursts of its light through the lens of his telescope.

The amateur scientist’s records of the storm gave it the name it has today: the Carrington Event of 1859. It remains the world’s largest solar storm on record.

The 1859 Carrington Event caused the Northern Lights to light up night skies around the globe.

Typically only seen near polar regions, the bright auroras were viewed all the way from the northern hemisphere to southern areas such as Cuba, Hawaii, and Columbia.

The dazzling lights of the aurora were so bright that gold miners in the U.S. confused their glow with morning light. So confused, in fact, that they woke up and started to get ready for work in the middle of the night!

Across North America and Europe, the strength of the solar storm caused a complete halt to telegraph systems. In today’s Digital Age, it would be as if mobile data and WiFi networks crashed and created a total communication breakdown.

We know the Northern Lights are brilliant, colorful, and filled with magic, but how exactly are they formed? Here are a few bright facts about the aurora borealis:

• The Northern Lights are created by the sun. The aurora is formed when solar wind slams into Earth’s magnetic field. The collision causes small bursts of light (auroras) to appear in the sky.
• Their bright colors are made from gas. The majestic colors are created when particles from space collide with gases (oxygen and nitrogen) in our atmosphere.
  
• The Northern Lights appear in two different forms. They are either discrete or diffuse. Diffuse lights glow and are sometimes invisible while discrete forms are sharp and bright.
• The lights are guided by the Earth’s magnetic energy. The Earth’s north and south poles act as magnets to the light particles.
• The top places to see the Northern Lights are near the Arctic Circle. You can find the best lights in countries such as Iceland, Norway, Canada, and Sweden.

Curious to see what the aurora looks like in Iceland? Check out this video:

Earth has yet to experience a massive solar event since the Solar Storm of 1859. If something similar were to happen today, all the technological systems we depend on would be in complete disorder.

Despite the chaos it would bring, we couldn’t resist imagining what our favorite cities would look like under the brilliant colors of the Northern Lights. Here are a few photos to help feed your imagination:

Want to see the lights for yourself? Watch nature’s top show with one of our expert-guided Northern Lights tours in Iceland.

Escape the city lights and join a small-group tour with local guides skilled at spotting the best viewpoints. Tours are only available during the winter months (September to April).

Hop on a minibus and go stargazing in south-west Iceland on our best-selling Magical Aurora Northern Lights Tour! 

Join a small group and expert aurora guide as you spend an evening gazing up at the Northern Lights. Easy pick-up in Reykjavik and free photos included.

Drive off the beaten track on an unforgettable Super Jeep Northern Lights Hunt! Search for the Earth’s most beautiful miracle as you head to Iceland’s top spots to view the mystical shapes and colors of the aurora.

Comfortable super jeep transport, small-group experiences, and convenient pick-up from Reykjavik included.