Red auroras paint the sky in northern Japan’s Hokkaido

SAPPORO (Kyodo) — Auroras were observed in many areas of Hokkaido, Japan’s northern main island, early Friday morning.

According to an astronomical observatory in Nayoro in northern Hokkaido, red northern lights lit up the sky and were visible to the naked eye for some 3 hours from around 2 a.m.

The auroras are a result of a geomagnetic storm, caused by solar flares, or massive explosions on the sun’s surface, that occurred on Wednesday.

Auroras may continue to appear as the frequency of solar flares changes on a roughly 11-year cycle, and the sun is currently in a phase of increased activity toward its peak, expected next year.

Auroras appear in the sky at a latitude of approximately 60 to 70 degrees north. The color is different depending on the latitude, and in Hokkaido, they are a light shade of red.