Last year in April, the internet was abuzz with awe-inspiring images of luminous auroras that lit up the sky in dazzling colors. These spectacular auroras appeared in regions where such phenomena were previously unexpected. The cause of this breathtaking display was a significant coronal mass ejection (CME) that occurred on April 21, 2023.

According to NASA, a highway was formed between Earth and the Sun during the solar storm of 2023. This formation initiated a two-way flow of particles for a short period. According to a report by WION, NASA's MMS spacecraft flew through this path and collected data.

NASA Sun & Space posted on X that a two-way highway was formed between the Sun and Earth for a brief period during the solar storm.

Coronal Mass Ejection
Image Source: NASA

Further explaining the phenomena, it wrote, "In other words, the usual one-way flow from the Sun to Earth suddenly went both directions: For about two hours, Earth was also spewing particles back into the Sun!"

The NASA page further noted that the particles that were sent to the Sun from Earth through that highway collided with the Sun’s atmosphere resulting in the formation of aurora on the Sun.

NASA explains the phenomenon

NASA explains that when the solar eruption approached Earth, our planet was fully surrounded by a cloud of particles. For a short time, a section of Earth’s magnetic “shield” weakened, known as Earth’s “bow shock.”

Even so, we were still protected from the Sun’s radiation. The bow shock is like the front of a boat creating waves as it moves through the water. Similarly, the bow shock acted as a barrier, causing incoming solar particles to “splash” against it.

Without the bow shock, the magnetic field from the solar eruption merged with Earth’s magnetic field. As a result, particles that Earth’s magnetism had been trapping found a way out and moved straight toward the Sun.

In scientific terms, this highway is referred to as “Alfvén wings", which is quite rare on our planet. However, they are very common elsewhere in our solar system, like Jupiter’s moons. "Alfvén wings are how particles from Io and Ganymede reach Jupiter, where they contribute to Jupiter’s ultraviolet aurora!" NASA Sun & Space wrote on X.

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