Unprecedented Solar Storm Paints Sky with Pumpkin-Colored Auroras

A recent solar storm caused a rare mix of red and green lights in the night sky above Canada, creating the illusion of bright pumpkin-colored auroras. The image captured by photographer Harlan Thomas shows vertical pillars of light that stayed glowing for over 20 minutes. While orange-colored auroras are theoretically possible, they are usually overwhelmed by other colors emitted by surrounding molecules. The last time such vibrant orange hues were seen was during the Halloween storm of 2003, the most powerful solar storm in modern records.