OMG!! We Saw Aurora in Hokkaido! 2025's Strongest Solar Flare Created a Miracle (≧∇≦)

Onii-chan, OMG amazing news just dropped!! (≧∇≦)

People saw aurora in Hokkaido!!

Wait, for real?

Is this the November 12th thing you were talking about?

Yup yup♪

I did some digging, lemme fill you in (´∀`)

On the night of November 12, 2025, aurora observations were confirmed all over Hokkaido! (ﾟ∀ﾟ)

Rikubetsu, Nayoro, Teshikaga (Lake Mashu) and more♪

The southernmost sighting was in Aomori Prefecture - it showed up in photos!

After sunset, a red shimmering aurora appeared low in the northern sky (≧∇≦)

Wow…

The sky above Lake Mashu turning red must’ve been super mystical.

Right?? (´∀`)

People observed the aurora getting brighter and dimmer, and they even saw vertical light streaks moving around♪

Some cases it was hard to see with the naked eye even though it showed up in photos, but there were tons of reports of people seeing it clearly with their own eyes!

How does an aurora actually light up?

Good question♪

I looked it up (≧∇≦)

How Auroras Work:

1. Solar wind (plasma from the sun) reaches Earth

2. Descends at high speed along Earth’s magnetic field lines

3. Collides with Earth’s atmosphere (oxygen and nitrogen)

4. The collision excites atoms and they emit light!

That’s what an aurora is (´∀`)

So they appear at the North and South Poles because they descend along magnetic field lines.

Correct! (≧∇≦)b

Earth’s magnetic field lines converge at the North and South Poles, so normally you can only see them in the Arctic Circle (60-70°N).

But this time, special conditions aligned♪

The cause of this aurora was a massive solar flare (ﾟ∀ﾟ)

Massive flares occurred for 3 consecutive days from Nov 9-11!

• Nov 9-10: Two X-class flares

• Nov 11, after 7 PM: X5.1-class flare (2025’s strongest!)

X-class is the most powerful class of solar flares (ﾟ∀ﾟ)

2025’s strongest… that’s insane.

I know right♪

This solar flare triggered a CME (Coronal Mass Ejection), and massive amounts of plasma reached Earth.

Result: A G4 (Severe) level geomagnetic storm hit Earth!

When a geomagnetic storm occurs, the aurora oval (aurora belt) expands toward the equator.

Auroras that are normally only visible in the Arctic Circle moved south all the way to Hokkaido (43°N) (≧∇≦)

Arctic auroras are usually green, but this one was red, right?

Nice catch, Onii-chan♪ (´∀`)

Aurora colors change depending on altitude!

Green Aurora:

• Altitude: 100-200km

• Oxygen atoms collide with high-energy electrons

• Typical aurora seen in the Arctic Circle

Red Aurora:

• Altitude: 200km and above

• Oxygen atoms collide with low-energy electrons

• Characteristic of low-latitude auroras

What we saw in Hokkaido was a red aurora at 200km+ altitude♪

So because it’s at a higher altitude, you can see it from farther away.

Exactly! (≧∇≦)

Let me summarize low-latitude aurora characteristics:

Low-Latitude Aurora Features:

• Color: Red (oxygen atom emission, 200km+ altitude)

• Appearance: Spreads across the low northern sky, faint red glow

• Photos: Easy to capture (even smartphone night mode works!)

• Naked Eye: Sometimes hard to see because it’s faint (but lots of people saw it this time!)

• Requirements: Requires severe geomagnetic storm

It’s not like the Arctic green aurora that’s “curtain-like and wavy” - it’s more like “the whole sky faintly glowing red” (´∀`)

Here’s a summary of where the aurora was observed♪

Hokkaido (Confirmed Sightings):

1. Rikubetsu (Rikubetsu Space and Earth Science Museum)

   • Visible to the naked eye

   • Observed aurora getting brighter and dimmer

   • Saw vertical light streaks moving

2. Nayoro (Nayoro Municipal Astronomy Observatory “Kitasubaru”)

   • Successfully photographed♪

   • Observed by experts

3. Teshikaga (Lake Mashu)

   • Sky above the lake surface and snow-capped Mt. Shari turned red

   • Super mystical atmosphere

4. Other areas in Hokkaido

   • Photos submitted to Weathernews from all over Hokkaido

Outside Hokkaido:

• Aomori Prefecture: Southernmost sighting in photos (probably hard to see with naked eye)

When they analyzed photos submitted to Weathernews by 9 PM, aurora-like phenomena showed up in photos from Aomori Prefecture too (ﾟ∀ﾟ)

It reached all the way to Aomori…

Could it be seen from Sapporo too?

Couldn’t find specific reports from Sapporo, but depending on conditions it might’ve been visible♪

Since Sapporo has lots of light pollution, suburban areas (Ishikari Beach, Moerenuma Park, Takino Suzuran Park) would’ve been better for observation (´∀`)

Hey Onii-chan♪

So actually 2025 is a solar activity peak period (≧∇≦)

Solar Activity Cycle:

• The sun becomes more active in an approximately 11-year cycle

• 2025 is the solar activity peak period

• More aurora observation chances through the end of 2025

Past Aurora Observations in Japan:

• 2003: Aurora observed in Hokkaido

• 2015: Aurora observed in Japan for the first time in 20 years

• December 2023: Aurora observed in Hokkaido

• May 2024: Aurora observed in Hokkaido

• October 2024: Aurora observed in Hokkaido

• November 12, 2025: This time!

It’s been happening more recently, right? (´∀`)

True, 2024-2025 has had a lot.

So there might be more chances to see it again.

Yup♪

Even people who missed it this time still have a chance (≧∇≦)

When the next massive flare happens, we might see aurora in Hokkaido again!

So today I researched and summarized the successful aurora observation in Hokkaido〜♪ (≧∇≦)

Key Points:

1. On the night of November 12, 2025, aurora was successfully observed all over Hokkaido!

   • Rikubetsu, Nayoro, Teshikaga (Lake Mashu), etc.

   • Many reports of naked-eye sightings

   • Southernmost confirmation in Aomori Prefecture

2. Caused by 2025’s strongest solar flare

   • X-class flares for 3 consecutive days Nov 9-11

   • X5.1-class flare on Nov 11 (2025’s strongest!)

   • G4 severe geomagnetic storm occurred

3. Low-latitude aurora characteristics

   • Red (200km+ altitude, oxygen atom emission)

   • Spreads across low northern sky

   • Easy to photograph, faint to naked eye

4. How auroras work

   • Solar wind plasma descends along Earth’s magnetic field lines

   • Collides with oxygen/nitrogen in atmosphere and emits light

   • Color changes based on altitude and electron energy

5. 2025 is solar activity peak period

   • More chances through end of 2025

   • Looking forward to the next massive flare♪

This is such a rare phenomenon that you might only see a few times in your life, so people who saw it are super lucky (´∀`)♪

Might be good to keep checking solar flare info for the next opportunity (≧∇≦)b

Netsuki, thanks for the detailed research.

I really understand how auroras work now.

Ehehe〜♪

I love doing this kind of scientific research (〃´∪｀〃)

Onii-chan, when the next massive flare comes, let’s go see the aurora together♪

We might even be able to see it near Sapporo like Ishikari Beach or Moerenuma Park (≧∇≦)

Northern sky, places where you can see the horizon, late night to dawn is the best time♪

If you use smartphone night mode it’s easier to confirm, so get ready (´∀`)♪