IIA study decodes six interacting solar blasts behind May 2024 Ladakh auroras
On 16 July 2025, DST said Indian Institute of Astrophysics astronomers had decoded the chain of six coronal mass ejections behind the May 2024 geomagnetic storm that lit up Ladakh's skies.
Summary
Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) astronomers led by Dr Wageesh Mishra have explained the series of coronal mass ejections (CMEs) behind the rare northern lights seen over Ladakh in May 2024, the Department of Science & Technology said on 16 July 2025. The great geomagnetic storm that began on 10 May 2024 was linked to a rare sequence of six CMEs erupting in succession, a storm unlike any seen in the past 20 years, and the chain of solar blasts was reported from IIA's Indian Astronomical Observatory at Hanle, Ladakh. Using NASA and ESA data, the team found the CMEs first release heat and then absorb and hold it mid-journey. The findings were published in the journal Astronomy and Astrophysics, and the team plans to add data from India's Aditya-L1 mission.
Key facts
- Announced
- 16 July 2025, DST
- Institute / lead
- Indian Institute of Astrophysics; Dr Wageesh Mishra
- Event studied
- Geomagnetic storm from 10 May 2024; six interacting CMEs
- Observed from
- Indian Astronomical Observatory, Hanle, Ladakh
- Finding
- CMEs first release heat, then absorb and hold it
- Journal
- Astronomy and Astrophysics
- Next
- Aditya-L1 data, incl. VELC
Practice MCQs 2 questions
According to the IIA study reported in July 2025, the great geomagnetic storm that began on 10 May 2024 and caused auroras over Ladakh was linked to a sequence of how many coronal mass ejections?
Show answer
Correct answer: D — Six
PIB (DST): the great geomagnetic storm that started on 10 May 2024 was linked to a rare sequence of six different CMEs erupting in succession.
Consider the following statements about the IIA study on the May 2024 solar storm: 1. The team found that the CMEs initially release heat but later absorb and hold onto it during their journey. 2. The rare chain of solar blasts was reported from IIA's Indian Astronomical Observatory at Hanle, Ladakh. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Show answer
Correct answer: C — Both 1 and 2
PIB (DST): initially the CMEs release heat but then enter a state where they absorb and hold onto it; the six interacting solar blasts were reported from IIA's Indian Astronomical Observatory in Hanle, Ladakh. Both are correct.