Geomagnetic storm creates dazzling display

Heather Ainsley reporter3.riverbendnews@gmail.com Over the weekend of Friday, May 10, people around the globe witnessed a spectacular display of "northern lights," visible in colors ranging from bright pink to purple and even blue and green. This was caused by a "geomagnetic storm" or a "solar storm," which is caused by a sizable solar flare or series of flares. Solar flares typically occur in active regions of the Sun, which are active due to strong magnetic fields and can be indicated by "sunspots." As the magnetic fields shift and change, they can become unstable, and bursts of energy are then released, making their way to Earth in just eight minutes. While the atmosphere surrounding