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Greenish lights recorded in the sky of Kona, Hawaii, appeared about 15 to 20 minutes after sunset, caught the attention of local astronomers, and remain unexplained after hypotheses such as aurora, satellites, meteors, lasers, and green ray were discarded.
The green lights seen in the sky of Kona, on the Island of Hawaii, left residents and astronomers searching for answers after an unusual glow was recorded over the weekend by Jake Asuncion, near Keahole Point. The phenomenon appeared about 15 to 20 minutes after sunset, in the northwest direction, facing Maui.
Asuncion was filming the sunset when he captured the glow without noticing. Only upon arriving home and reviewing the video did he notice a green coloration appearing near the end of the recording.
The resident said he immediately thought about what could have appeared in the sky. He enhanced the color of the video to better show the movement recorded by the camera.
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Green lights caught attention on two nights
Curiosity made Asuncion return to the location the following night to try to record the same phenomenon again. The result, as he reported, was even better on the second attempt.
The glow was faint to the naked eye but appeared more clearly through the cell phone camera. The difference between direct vision and the recorded image increased doubts about the origin of the green lights.
The sightings reached local astronomers and caught the attention of Nick Bradley, from Stargazers of Hawaiʻi. For him, the color resembled the aurora borealis, but this explanation does not seem likely in Hawaii.
Data does not indicate visible aurora in Hawaii
The weekend data did not indicate significant geomagnetic storm activity capable of producing visible auroras on the islands. The KP index, used to measure the intensity of the aurora, ranged between 3 and 4.
The comparison with a rare aurora seen in Hawaii in 2024 reinforced the doubt. In that case, a KP index of 8 would be necessary for the phenomenon to be visible on the islands.
Bradley also evaluated other common explanations and stated that they do not match what was recorded. Satellites, for example, usually appear as small moving points of light, something different from the recorded glow.
Satellites, meteors, lasers, and green ray were discarded
Meteor showers, lasers, and the so-called green ray also do not fit the case. The lights appeared well after sunset and in a higher position in the sky.
The Army reported that there were no lasers in use nor any training in that area. The Hawaii Department of Transportation also reported that the Kona airport once had a laser cannon to scare away birds, but the equipment was red and would not have the same scale seen in the images.
The agency also highlighted that standard rotating airport beacons would not have the dimension shown in the photos. Thus, the green lights remain without a defined explanation among the analyzed hypotheses.
Possible connection with STEVE is still uncertain
The Keck Observatories suggested a possibility: the STEVE phenomenon, an acronym for “strong thermal emission velocity enhancement.” It is similar to the aurora borealis but can be observed further south.
Even so, little is known about STEVE. Moreover, it usually appears alongside auroras borealis, which keeps the explanation open.
Astronomers also warn that smartphone cameras can enhance colors in low-light environments. Therefore, the green glow may appear more intense in the video than it was seen in person.
The exact cause of the green lights remains unknown. Bradley urged more people to observe the sky and record the phenomenon, while Asuncion plans to continue monitoring new appearances.
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