Solar Cycle 25 Is Stronger Than Expected—and Aurora Lights Are Reaching Further South

Solar Cycle 25, which began in late 2019, is running ahead of forecast. Powerful solar flares and coronal mass ejections—eruptions of charged material from the sun—are pushing auroras visible much further into mid-latitude regions than usual. Astronaut footage from June captured this rare activity as the cycle's strength continues, giving scientists fresh data on the geomagnetic storms driving it.