FIRST #AURORAS OF THE YEAR: On Jan. 1st, a crack opened in Earth's magnetic field. Solar wind poured through the gap and fueled the first auroras of #2024. Northern lights tour guide Chris Percival photographed the display over Vesterålen, Norway:

"Our guests had a fantastic display here tonight in Arctic Norway," says Percival. "Shortly after the Moon rose and lit up the landscape, the aurora borealis decided to make a powerful appearance."

The "crack" was formed by the impact of a co-rotating interaction region (CIR). CIRs are transition zones between fast- and slow-moving streams of solar wind. They contain CME-like shocks that open cracks and spark strong Arctic auroras.

https://spaceweather.com/