M5.7 Solar Flare Triggers CME, Auroras Possible May 13

A powerful M5.7 solar flare erupted from the Sun on May 10, triggering a coronal mass ejection that could produce a glancing blow to Earth as early as May 13 and spark northern lights displays across high latitudes, including the United Kingdom and northern United States.

The flare peaked at 1:39 p.m. GMT from sunspot region AR4436 on the Sun's northeastern limb, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Space Weather Prediction Center. This event hurled billions of tonnes of plasma and magnetic material into space. While the bulk of the coronal mass ejection appears headed east of Earth, forecasters indicate a portion of the expanding plume may graze the planet, potentially causing minor G1 geomagnetic storm conditions.

The U.K. Met Office and NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center both project this possible impact around early May 13. Such disturbances could enhance auroral activity by intensifying interactions between solar particles and Earth's upper atmosphere. Charged particles from the solar wind collide with oxygen and nitrogen gases, exciting them to emit vibrant lights in shades of green, purple and red.

Solar flares are classified on a scale...