New Delhi, Jan. 29 -- The skies were set ablaze with red, colourful lights in Ladakh on the nights of 19 and 20 January, when the strongest solar storm struck Earth's magnetic field. The Indian Astronomical Observatory (IAO), located above Mount Saraswati, captured the phenomenon, which showed a striking blood-red aurora illuminating the sky - a sight usually associated with high latitudes in the Arctic region.

Scientists noted that this marked the sixth occurrence in the ongoing solar cycle where such a powerful red aurora was observed at Hanle, an area well known for its exceptionally dark skies and stable atmospheric clarity.

The rare phenomenon was triggered by an intense geomagnetic storm that began in the early hours of January 20...