<p>Yes this is an old question, but the answer was given May 10 2024 when aurora were seen at the equator in Brazil</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-05-17T04:46:32.653Z
The list of places sited during May 2024 aurora doesn't include anything near the equator like Brazil so far as I can tell.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/May_2024_solar_storms
f.thorpe
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-05-17T08:08:23.383Z
@f.thorpe and neutron, you've waded into some complex weeds. https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1jxjxYai7NFBD4s4S5k9wMY9oSMAIHDY&ll=3.5840622024212494%2C29.906262394642404&z=2 has been a great tool... turn on the layers.  (The creator is https://x.com/Wicky_dubs_WX/ though it has now become collaborative)
JeopardyTempest
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-05-17T08:16:57.767Z
Long story short from the map... Brazil is a yes.  But it's southern Brazil (the north end of Brazil is closer to Canada than to the south end of Brazil).  The Galapagos report was faked.  Japan is a yes (though not that equatorial at 37N).  The only point indicated as verified that is in the 10N to 10S equatorial basis is the one in Venezuela.  Then apparently there's a difference between a SAR arc and the full aurora oval?  I sure learned something this week!
JeopardyTempest
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-05-17T08:18:14.907Z
I'm +1ing the answer for now to balance the -1, but the wording is tough (especially without further evidence)... who is ever truly at the Equator anyways!  But the key evidence the event added to the question (and the fact it was indeed technically in some part of Brazil) seem to make this answer somewhat worthwhile, though it could use more support/rewording/evidence.
JeopardyTempest
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-05-21T08:53:57.087Z
And in the end, the Venezuela point also got disproven.  Glad to see people being cautious and checking things!
JeopardyTempest
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-05-16T19:52:50.710Z
2024-05-16T19:52:50.710Z
neutron flux
<p>Quoting from the Wikipedia article on the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_storm_of_1859">Solar Storm of 1859</a>;</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>On September 1–2, 1859, the largest recorded geomagnetic storm occurred. Aurorae were seen around the world, those in the northern hemisphere even as far south as the Caribbean; those over the Rocky Mountains were so bright that their glow awoke gold miners, who began preparing breakfast because they thought it was morning.[2] People who happened to be awake in the northeastern US could read a newspaper by the aurora's light.[4] The aurora was visible as far from the poles as Cuba and Hawaii.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>So, it didn't quite make it to the equator, but it came very close.  There is no physical reason why you can't get aurora at the equator, but it takes a lot of very energetic particles being ejected by the sun over a brief period. </p>

<p>However, as I mentioned in my comment, a solar storm of that magnitude would wipe out most of the Earth's electric grids.  Even the telegraph systems of the 1800's couldn't survive.  Another quote from the Wikipedia article;</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Telegraph systems all over Europe and North America failed, in some cases giving telegraph operators electric shocks.[6] Telegraph pylons threw sparks.[7] Some telegraph systems continued to send and receive messages despite having been disconnected from their power supplies.[8]</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-04-06T08:51:16.073Z
With sufficient warning and unplugging, the electric grid could be preserved.  It's just a question of how prepared we are.    As recently as 1989, a solar storm blacked out Quebec.   They'd have to power down during the storm, but they could bring it back on line fairly quickly after the storm passes provided they're correctly prepared.
userLTK
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-06-27T15:24:28.173Z
2014-06-27T20:00:06.150Z
2014-06-27T20:00:06.150Z
Chris Mueller
<p>I thought Auroras are only visible in the North Pole and South Pole, but recently, I found out that Auroras can be seen in areas of the world closer to the equator.</p>

<p>An example is that in the year 1909, a great storm of Auroras were seen in Japan and other countries.</p>

<p>This made me wonder: could an Aurora be seen in equatorial regions, too?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-01-23T17:54:37.697Z
@ChrisMueller: That's probably why you don't see pictures of equatorial aurorae on social media. ;-)
jvriesem
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-06-27T14:05:15.763Z
I don't have time to do the research, but as one possible approach to answering it'd be interesting to know what the minimum latitude is at which auroras have been recorded overhead, and then do the geometry to work out how close to the equator one could be and see them on the northern/southern horizon.
Semidiurnal Simon
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-06-27T15:13:41.883Z
It isn't possible without simultaneously knocking out the most of the world's electric grid ;)
Chris Mueller
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-07-02T09:44:07.067Z
Well, you might be able to see it if you were really high up above the equator (like, a few thousand kilometres), if that still counts as "equatorial regions" :P Apparently the Aurora Australis can be visible as far north as [southern New South Wales](http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2012/02/06/3424057.htm), which is about 36° South, about the same latitude as Tokyo.
naught101
<equator><auroras>
Is it possible to see Auroras from the equatorial region?
Hari-pacific
# Is it possible to see Auroras from the equatorial region?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2014-06-27)

I thought Auroras are only visible in the North Pole and South Pole, but recently, I found out that Auroras can be seen in areas of the world closer to the equator.

An example is that in the year 1909, a great storm of Auroras were seen in Japan and other countries.

This made me wonder: could an Aurora be seen in equatorial regions, too?

**Tags:** equator, auroras

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: I don't have time to do the research, but as one possible approach to answering it'd be interesting to know what the minimum latitude is at which auroras have been recorded overhead, and then do the geometry to work out how close to the equator one could be and see them on the northern/southern horizon.  
> **username_3**: It isn't possible without simultaneously knocking out the most of the world's electric grid ;)  
> **username_4**: Well, you might be able to see it if you were really high up above the equator (like, a few thousand kilometres), if that still counts as "equatorial regions" :P Apparently the Aurora Australis can be visible as far north as [southern New South Wales](http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2012/02/06/3424057.htm), which is about 36° South, about the same latitude as Tokyo.  
> **username_1**: @username_3: That's probably why you don't see pictures of equatorial aurorae on social media. ;-)  

---

## 2 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2014-06-27. Score: 12 | Accepted answer

Quoting from the Wikipedia article on the [Solar Storm of 1859](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_storm_of_1859);

> On September 1–2, 1859, the largest recorded geomagnetic storm occurred. Aurorae were seen around the world, those in the northern hemisphere even as far south as the Caribbean; those over the Rocky Mountains were so bright that their glow awoke gold miners, who began preparing breakfast because they thought it was morning.[2] People who happened to be awake in the northeastern US could read a newspaper by the aurora's light.[4] The aurora was visible as far from the poles as Cuba and Hawaii.

So, it didn't quite make it to the equator, but it came very close. There is no physical reason why you can't get aurora at the equator, but it takes a lot of very energetic particles being ejected by the sun over a brief period.

However, as I mentioned in my comment, a solar storm of that magnitude would wipe out most of the Earth's electric grids. Even the telegraph systems of the 1800's couldn't survive. Another quote from the Wikipedia article;

> Telegraph systems all over Europe and North America failed, in some cases giving telegraph operators electric shocks.[6] Telegraph pylons threw sparks.[7] Some telegraph systems continued to send and receive messages despite having been disconnected from their power supplies.[8]

> **Comments:**
> **username_8**: With sufficient warning and unplugging, the electric grid could be preserved.  It's just a question of how prepared we are.    As recently as 1989, a solar storm blacked out Quebec.   They'd have to power down during the storm, but they could bring it back on line fairly quickly after the storm passes provided they're correctly prepared.  

---

### Answer by username_5 on 2024-05-16. Score: 0

Yes this is an old question, but the answer was given May 10 2024 when aurora were seen at the equator in Brazil

> **Comments:**
> **username_6**: The list of places sited during May 2024 aurora doesn't include anything near the equator like Brazil so far as I can tell.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/May_2024_solar_storms  
> **username_7**: @username_6 and username_5, you've waded into some complex weeds. https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1jxjxYai7NFBD4s4S5k9wMY9oSMAIHDY&ll=3.5840622024212494%2C29.906262394642404&z=2 has been a great tool... turn on the layers.  (The creator is https://x.com/Wicky_dubs_WX/ though it has now become collaborative)  
> **username_7**: Long story short from the map... Brazil is a yes.  But it's southern Brazil (the north end of Brazil is closer to Canada than to the south end of Brazil).  The Galapagos report was faked.  Japan is a yes (though not that equatorial at 37N).  The only point indicated as verified that is in the 10N to 10S equatorial basis is the one in Venezuela.  Then apparently there's a difference between a SAR arc and the full aurora oval?  I sure learned something this week!  
> **username_7**: I'm +1ing the answer for now to balance the -1, but the wording is tough (especially without further evidence)... who is ever truly at the Equator anyways!  But the key evidence the event added to the question (and the fact it was indeed technically in some part of Brazil) seem to make this answer somewhat worthwhile, though it could use more support/rewording/evidence.  
> **username_7**: And in the end, the Venezuela point also got disproven.  Glad to see people being cautious and checking things!  

---

