JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A question I’ve been asked often lately is whether auroras are becoming more common. For many people, it certainly feels that way, especially after the widespread northern lights displays seen in 2024 and 2025. The short answer: yes, recently, but not in the long-term sense. Let's discuss this.

The solar cycles

The sun goes through repeating cycles of activity roughly every 11 years. During the active phase of a solar cycle, the number of sunspots on the solar surface increases. These sunspots are often associated with coronal mass ejections (CMEs) — powerful eruptions that blast charged particles into space.

When those charged particles reach Earth, they interact with the planet’s magnetic field and atmosphere, generating the auroras many of us recognize as the N

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