FARGO — Many went outside last weekend trying to catch the solar flare show in the sky as the Northern Lights created a dazzling display.
But the northern lights danced not only above us but also in the southern sky. NOAA satellites recorded a composite image showing how far south the aurora reached from May 10 to 11, quite a difference from where we normally see the aurora.
And we're just at the beginning of the sun's stormy cycle, so we can look forward to more aurora activity over the next three years on top of the sun's natural, 11-year cycle. During this windiest part of the solar cycle, the sun sends more active particles toward the earth's atmosphere at extremely high speeds. The electromagnetic field surrounding our planet redirects these particles towards the poles, where they interact with the oxygen and nitrogen in our atmosphere to create the spectacular sights in the sky.
Some of these colors may not be visible to the naked eye, cell phone cameras and lenses are more sensitive to light than our own eyes, so photos of the aurora will look better than what we see in person. The light is there, our eyes are too weak to see it all.
And on nights where the aurora is forecast and well advertised on social media and on TV, expect the movement of the aurora to possibly interrupt your viewing. Just driving 10 minutes out of town and taking the first exit will expose you to a stream of vehicle headlights that reduce your vision and dust and dirt that are thrown into the air to also reduce your visibility.
So pick a spot to watch, not only away from city lights, but well away from the interstate, freeway, and major thoroughfares your eyes can adjust to the dark without the bright lights interrupting the show.
And most importantly: be patient. Electromagnetic waves come in waves, so plan your viewing in hours, not minutes, or you could be very disappointed.
