On October 9, the Altay and Tacheng regions of Xinjiang mesmerized both locals and tourists with a stunning display of the aurora borealis. Captivated visitors, including avid aurora enthusiasts, documented the magical moments with their cameras.
This breathtaking phenomenon was set in motion by a major solar event that occurred on October 3 at 8:18 PM, when the sun unleashed a powerful X9.0 class flare. This marked the strongest solar explosion since September 6, 2017, and represented the most intense flare of the current solar cycle.
An active sun often leads to stronger geomagnetic storms, which are responsible for the creation of auroras. On October 4, the National Space Weather Monitoring and Early Warning Center forecasted that auroras could be visible in the northern regions of China – and possibly further south – over the following three days.
In the early hours of October 9, residents and visitors in Fukang County, Altay, were treated to breathtaking red auroras lighting up the sky. The morning prior, photographers in the Altay region captured stunning red and purple auroras at Ulungu Lake, with similar sightings reported from Tacheng.
Tourist Ni Linlin from Sichuan shared her experience: “After watching the film ‘My Altay,’ I was inspired to visit the region. Knowing there was a chance to see the auroras, I stayed up for several nights hoping for a glimpse.” She expressed her joy at finally witnessing the display on the morning of the 9th, describing it as “a vibrant red” that she was able to capture beautifully on camera.
This year has seen a notable increase in aurora sightings across China, a trend linked to the ongoing 25th solar cycle, which is expected to continue at its peak for the next year or so. The possibility of medium to high-intensity solar flares remains.
The Altay region previously experienced two spectacular auroral events in mid-May and mid-September, each garnering significant attention. Staff from the Xinjiang Astronomical Observatory of the Chinese Academy of Sciences have noted that it is quite normal for higher latitude areas like Xinjiang to witness auroras following solar flares.
