We humans frequently believe we understand nature and convert it into scientific equations and poetry stanzas. Nature, on the other hand, always surprises us with its intricacy, which is part of its beauty. As an example, green and purple lights were visible in the northern skies, which everyone assumed were auroras, the dazzling colours that adorn the heavens when solar storms strike the Earth’s atmosphere. But what if we told you that these green and purple lights were caused by something quite different?
This unusual weather phenomenon has created quite a stir this year
The purple and green ribbons of light in the Northern Hemisphere sky floating over the horizon are not auroras, but STEVE, or Strong Thermal Emission Velocity Enhancement. This unusual weather phenomenon has created quite a stir this year, as more and more individuals have reported seeing Steve in places where it does not often exist, such as parts of the United Kingdom. STEVE is an atmospheric optical phenomenon that appears in the sky as a purple and green light ribbon. Aurora watchers and lovers from Alberta, Canada named it in recent years in 2016.
Though it has recently captured the attention of auroral photographers, some evidence suggests that STEVE observations may have been made as early as 1705. However, no one knew what it was at the time. It wasn’t until members of the Alberta Aurora Chasers Facebook community named it, linked it to a proton aurora, and began calling it a “proton arc” that the phenomenon’s true nature was determined.
STEVE is best viewed through a camera lens
The STEVE phenomenon has been observed in the United Kingdom, Canada, Alaska, the northern United States, Australia, and New Zealand as of March 2018. It appears as a very thin arc that extends hundreds or thousands of miles east-west. It usually lasts between 20 to an hour. The STEVE phenomenon was discovered in the presence of an aurora in March 2018. A chance encounter with Aurora fans in a modest Canadian pub was pivotal in their quest to understand STEVE. Strong Thermal Emission Velocity Enhancement, or STEVE, was called after this occurrence.
While STEVE is only spotted in the presence of an aurora, it is not a normal aurora as scientists suggest it comprises a fast-moving stream of extremely hot particles called a sub-auroral ion drift or SAID. The Earth is entering a time of increased solar activity, known as a solar maximum, which happens every 11 years. During this time, observers should expect more visible light shows in the sky as well as the possibility of seeing a STEVE in low latitudes. STEVE is best viewed through a camera lens. To the naked eye, it may appear to be nothing more than a light contrail from an aeroplane blazing across the sky, and so may be easily unnoticed. They are most commonly observed between the hours of 5:00 p.m. and 12:00 a.m.
