What caused the recent increase in auroras and how do they form?

The recent increase in auroras is because space weather got more lively, like when you play a game and it gets more exciting.

Auroras happen when charged particles from the sun travel through space and hit Earth’s magnetic field, kind of like when a ball hits a wall. These charged particles are like tiny kids who run really fast, they zoom down to Earth's atmosphere, which is like a big blanket made of gases.

When these fast little kids crash into the atmosphere, they bump into gas molecules, and this makes them light up, just like how your toy lights up when you press a button. This glowing show happens near the poles because that’s where Earth’s magnetic field is strongest, like a magnet sticking to the north and south ends of your bedroom.

Sometimes, the sun sends out solar winds stronger than usual, it's like blowing harder on a pinwheel. These strong solar winds cause more charged particles to come our way, making the aurora show bigger and brighter, just like how you might see more lights if you blow harder on your toy.

So, the recent increase in auroras is because the sun sent us more charged particles, creating a more exciting light show above our heads.