I think it’s pretty safe to say that millions of people have seeing the aurora pretty high up on their bucket list, right?
Well, the folks of Grand Forks, ND were treated to absolutely incredible display of the ‘Northern Lights’ just earlier this week. You normally have to travel further north to catch a display this spectacular, but the lights can shift further south in certain circumstances.
Enjoy the spectacular show. My mind was absolutely blown away by the beauty of those green dancing lights. Spectacular!
How the aurora occurs from Space.com: “Energized particles from the sun slam into Earth’s upper atmosphere at speeds of up to 45 million mph (72 million km/h), but our planet’s magnetic field protects us from the onslaught. As Earth’s magnetic field redirects the particles toward the North Pole, the dramatic process transforms into a cinematic atmospheric phenomenon that dazzles and fascinates scientists and skywatchers alike.
“Occurred on October 12, 2021 / Grand Forks, North Dakota, USA I had just come back from aurora chasing on the night of October 12, 2021, and was ready to head to bed when my friend called me saying the aurora was dancing again! I grabbed my camera and rushed outside to witness the skies dancing above my house! Usually, you need to travel well outside the city (I live in Grand Forks, ND) to see any type of aurora display, but it was so strong that night that you could see it right in town. The aurora that night was the strongest it had been in probably 3 years, and it was an amazing experience to witness it. Auroras are a big part of culture, tradition, and livelihood up in the northern tier of the U.S. I’m an aurora chaser myself and also help other people chase the lights. I am a student at the University of North Dakota studying physics and science communication and plan on going to grad school to study space weather and the aurora, so this night was so special and rewarding for me. After seeing the skies dance I posted the video on social media and it was just insane seeing how many people were touched by the dancing skies. Many people were socked in with clouds, so the fact I was able to see it meant thousands could live through my excitement vicariously.”