Mysterious aurora-like phenomenon ‘STEVE’ appears during strongest solar storm for more than half a decade

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A vibrant, purple STEVE cuts throughout the evening sky above above Badlands Nationwide Park in South Dakota through the late hours of March 23.  (Picture credit score: Evan Ludes/Framed By Nature)

A weird, aurora-like phenomenon often called STEVE made a number of appearances throughout the USA and components of the UK final week, after a robust photo voltaic storm slammed into Earth with out warning. 

STEVE, often known as a “robust thermal emission velocity enhancement,” is a uncommon phenomenon that was formally found in 2016. Throughout STEVE, an extended, thick ribbon of sunshine — normally white, purple or inexperienced in shade — seems to hold within the sky for as much as an hour. Though it seems to be similar to auroras, or northern lights, and infrequently seems on the identical time, STEVE just isn’t an aurora.