20/09/2026
What is STEVE?
This picture does not just feature a fabulous show of Northern Lights back from December 2024, but also STEVE. See the thin white line on the top right corner of the image? Yep, that's STEVE (acronym for Strong Thermal Emission Velocity Enhancement).
A very rare phenomenon, discovered only in 2016 by amateur aurora spotters in Canada, STEVE is usually associated with very strong solar activity, it is very elusive as it can be visible for just a few seconds or at most a few minutes.
Unlike northern lights, STEVE is caused by high-temperature gases that pe*****te the higher layer of the mesosphere (around 200-500 km height) during solar storms. It is usually glowing white or purpleish in colour and has always the shape of a long line..
Come and join us in our hunt for auroras (and STEVE!) in the Sea Lapland area!
