Go Back
  • For Business
  • |
  • Warnings
  • Data Suite
  • Forensics
  • Advertising
  • Superior Accuracy™
Hurricane Erin to fuel dangerous surf, coastal flood risk from Carolinas to New England. Chevron right
Puerto Rico, Leeward Islands brace for Hurricane Erin. Get the details. Chevron right

Columbus, OH

84°F
Location Chevron down
Location News Videos
Use Current Location
Recent

Columbus

Ohio

84°
No results found.
Try searching for a city, zip code or point of interest.
settings
Columbus, OH Weather
Today WinterCast Local {stormName} Tracker Hourly Daily Radar MinuteCast® Monthly Air Quality Health & Activities

Around the Globe

Hurricane Tracker

Severe Weather

Radar & Maps

News

News & Features

Astronomy

Business

Climate

Health

Recreation

Sports

Travel

For Business

Warnings

Data Suite

Forensics

Advertising

Superior Accuracy™

Video

Winter Center

AccuWeather Early Hurricane Center Top Stories Trending Today Astronomy Heat Climate Health Recreation In Memoriam Case Studies Blogs & Webinars

News / Astronomy

Humans once triggered aurora with a nuclear bomb? Yes, it’s true

The artificial aurora glowed over the Pacific Ocean on July 9, 1962, during a nuclear test that had the same effects as an extremely powerful geomagnetic storm caused by the sun.

By Brian Lada, AccuWeather meteorologist and senior content editor

Updated Jul 9, 2024 8:03 AM EDT

Copied

Photograph of the Starfish Prime high-altitude nuclear test explosion in course of Operation Dominic on July 9, 1962. (US Govt. Defense Threat Reduction Agency/Wikimedia Commons)

On the night of July 9, 1962, people across Hawaii witnessed an outburst of the aurora. Typically, it is extremely rare for the northern lights to glow as far south as Hawaii, but this wasn't a typical display of the celestial lights. The aurora was triggered by a thermonuclear bomb.

The United States conducted hundreds of nuclear tests between 1945, when the first atomic bomb was detonated, and 1996, when the Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty was adopted. Many of the tests conducted by the U.S. were conducted underground or in Earth's atmosphere, but the explosion on July 9, 1962, was different.

Code named Starfish Prime, the bomb was detonated above the Pacific Ocean at an altitude of 250 miles, around the same height as the International Space Station.

The burst of radiation and electromagnetic particles from the blast resulted in an artificial geomagnetic storm, setting off a display of human-created aurora.

The seven-minute-long artificial aurora was created by the Starfish Prime high-altitude nuclear test explosion on July 9, 1962. (Wikimedia Commons)

The artificial light show lasted for about seven minutes, according to RealClearScience, but an eerie glow lingered in the sky for nearly four hours. People as far away as New Zealand reportedly saw the bomb-induced aurora.

In parts of Hawaii, the explosion had more of an impact than just generating a light show.

GET THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP  
•Have the app? Unlock AccuWeather Alerts™ with Premium+

When a nuclear bomb explodes, it unleashes an electromagnetic pulse (EMP). The EMP from Starfish Prime was strong enough to knock out strings of streetlights on Oahu, cause a radio blackout and make telephones temporarily inoperable, according to RealClearScience.

Similar effects can also happen during exceptionally powerful geomagnetic storms triggered by the sun.

On March 13, 1989, a geomagnetic storm caused a power blackout across the entire province of Quebec, Canada, according to NASA. Millions of residents were in the dark for 12 hours and businesses and schools were forced to close. Over 200 power grid problems were also reported across the U.S., although a national blackout was avoided.

The same storm also sparked an outburst of aurora that was visible as far south as Cuba.

More to read:

40-foot wave of molasses razed Boston community over 100 years ago
The day a tsunami-like flood struck a landlocked mountain town
The colorful science behind the northern lights

Want next-level safety, ad-free? Unlock advanced, hyperlocal severe weather alerts when you subscribe to Premium+ on the AccuWeather app. AccuWeather Alerts™ are prompted by our expert meteorologists who monitor and analyze dangerous weather risks 24/7 to keep you and your family safer.

Report a Typo

Weather News

Climate

This is the summer of flooding across the US, and scientists know why

Jul. 20, 2025
Weather News

Quick-jumping bugs are emerging again, here's how to stomp them out

Aug. 13, 2025
Weather Forecasts

Fall forecast 2025: Warmth to fuel fires, storms before chill hits US

Aug. 10, 2025
video

How lightning triggers wildfires

Aug. 5, 2025
Show more Show less Chevron down

Topics

AccuWeather Early

Hurricane Center

Top Stories

Trending Today

Astronomy

Heat

Climate

Health

Recreation

In Memoriam

Case Studies

Blogs & Webinars

Top Stories

Hurricane

Erin intensifies into hurricane as it tracks near Puerto Rico

2 hours ago

Recreation

Man rescued after falling 30 feet down waterfall in Maine

1 day ago

Hurricane

Hurricane Erin becomes Cat 4, threatens coasts along eastern US

2 hours ago

Severe Weather

Severe storms, flash flooding to pester north-central US

5 hours ago

Hurricane

Hurricane safety: Explaining rapid intensification and how to prepare

1 day ago

More Stories

Featured Stories

Weather News

Heavy rain in Indian Kashmir leaves dozens dead, more than 200 missing

1 day ago

Weather News

Pompeii’s remains reveal a hidden postscript

1 day ago

Astronomy

Goodbye long days: Where sunset is now happening before 8 pm

1 day ago

Weather News

US teen pilot accused of unauthorized Antarctic landing reaches deal

1 day ago

Weather News

New York skyscraper had 1-in-16 chance of collapse. Only one man knew

1 day ago

AccuWeather Astronomy Humans once triggered aurora with a nuclear bomb? Yes, it’s true
Company
Proven Superior Accuracy™ About AccuWeather Digital Advertising Careers Press Contact Us
Products & Services
For Business For Partners For Advertising AccuWeather APIs AccuWeather Connect RealFeel® and RealFeel Shade™ Personal Weather Stations
Apps & Downloads
iPhone App Android App See all Apps & Downloads
Subscription Services
AccuWeather Premium AccuWeather Professional
More
AccuWeather Ready Business Health Hurricane Leisure and Recreation Severe Weather Space and Astronomy Sports Travel Weather News Winter Center
Company
Proven Superior Accuracy™ About AccuWeather Digital Advertising Careers Press Contact Us
Products & Services
For Business For Partners For Advertising AccuWeather APIs AccuWeather Connect RealFeel® and RealFeel Shade™ Personal Weather Stations
Apps & Downloads
iPhone App Android App See all Apps & Downloads
Subscription Services
AccuWeather Premium AccuWeather Professional
More
AccuWeather Ready Business Health Hurricane Leisure and Recreation Severe Weather Space and Astronomy Sports Travel Weather News Winter Center
© 2025 AccuWeather, Inc. "AccuWeather" and sun design are registered trademarks of AccuWeather, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Cookie Policy | About Your Privacy Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information

...

...

...