Surprise auroras light up US skies as strongest solar storm in years hits Earth.

A surprise solar storm caused by a stealthy solar eruption supercharged auroras across the US and Europe, with sightings of the colorful displays reported from as far south as New Mexico and Arizona. The storm was classified as a severe G4 on the 5-grade scale used by the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and even forced Rocket Lab to delay a launch of its Electron rocket for 90 minutes. While the most stunning polar light images came from the usual aurora haunts in Canada, northern Europe, and Alaska, ingenious photographers equipped with sensitive cameras were also able to capture the mesmerizing light shows at rather unusual locations at much lower latitudes.