Northern Lights 2 Nights – Maybe a Third Show?

Every time I watch the Northern Lights, I’m in awe. They are so magical, green, yellow, pink curtains that shimmer across the sky or pulse in pillars reaching to the center of the sky overhead. It is so easy to lose track of time, the only thing bringing you back to reality are the chilled fingers hanging on to a cold metal camera body.

Sunday evening aurora watchers were treated to a spectacular show just before dawn. The first pictures are of that show, and you can see the northern lights fighting to stay bright even though they are being threatened by the dawn getting brighter and brighter. Eventually, the stars and northern lights lose the battle, and Sunday was a beautiful fall day.

During the day, Sunday, predictions were made that this solar storm would continue with more northern lights forecast for Sunday night. Sure enough, as soon as it was dark enough to see the Dipper, Orion’s shoulders peeking above the horizion – and a band of northern lights stretching betwixt them.

If I was mesmerized by the show Sunday morning – the show Sunday night, almost had me in tears watching the beauty that we were blessed with. There are not words nor did I have a lens that would encompass the entire sky. The lights were ribbons and bands that stretched all around and to the top of the sky. Simply breathtaking, and my photos do not do it justice.

The show was strong enough that viewers from Alaska to New Mexico were able to watch this show. Viewers in Northern Europe also displayed beautiful photographs on spaceweather.com

Predictions are that this will continue tonight. The moon is already out, and will be setting shortly making the sky dark. As long as the clouds stay away – the show could be on for the third night in a row.

If you do go out to watch, be respectful of others watching, dim your headlights, and enjoy the show! Oh, and do keep an eye out for bears. I didn’t see any on the waterfront, but there was one up at St. Monica’s.