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Auroral substorm sparks stunning northern lights visible at mid-latitudes (photos)

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A coronal mass ejection ( CME ) struck Earth last night .

The persistent solar wind eventually sparked an aurora substorm and created dazzling northern lights displays down to mid-latitudes.

CMEs are expulsions of plasma and magnetic fields from the sun that carry electrically charged atoms known as ions.

STEVE — Strong Thermal Emission Velocity Enhancement — is an aurora-like glow that often accompanies the northern lights.

Benjamin Jurkovich captured STEVE above Lake Stevens , Washington , U.S. Meanwhile, aurora chaser Justin Anderson snapped an image of vibrant auroras dancing overhead in Manitoba , Canada .