Wow. Just wow!

As the first full week of spring comes to a close, there are still a few reminders we’re not quite finished with winter just yet. The snow cruising into New England this weekend is one clue winter is slow to exit. So is this surprisingly vivid display of the aurora borealis over Lake Superior this week.

Photographer Matt Silverness provided a poetic description of this vibrant display of the northern lights:

“It has been too long since I have seen the aurora borealis dancing across the sky. I made a fairly late decision last night to head up the shore of Lake Superior and within minutes of setting my camera up, she danced. About 15 minutes of pure awe. I think it goes without saying that I really enjoy all of the beauty that mother nature provides. I hope you enjoy this view!”

Yes, we do!

Advertisement

The aurora borealis, also known as the northern lights, is caused when electrically charged particles from the sun enter Earth’s atmosphere. When they interact with our atmosphere, the result is a ballet of dancing lights on the northern horizon. While the vibrant lights in the sky seem close, this colorful interaction is actually happening 60 to 70 miles above Earth’s surface, nearly 10 times higher than where commercial airplanes fly. The wispy array of lights can also extend hundreds of miles into space, which is why it’s visible even from the International Space Station.

In the photo above, notice the myriad colors ranging from yellow to green to purple — you can thank all the different gases in the atmosphere for that. When the charged particles from the sun hit the atmosphere, different gases emit different colors: oxygen gives off greens and yellow, while nitrogen emits blues and reds.

As we fade from winter into spring, expect the aurora borealis to fade with the changing seasons. While the aurora borealis is technically visible year round, it is most common and most vibrant during winter while summer’s short nights make it nearly impossible to see regularly during that time of the year.

Advertisement

With that said, if you can’t wait until next winter to see the dancing lights across the horizon, head south, and by south I mean WAY south to the Southern Hemisphere! As we transition to summer, the Southern Hemisphere plunges into winter, meaning it’s their time for longer nights and thus their turn to admire the aurora australis — that’s right, also known as the “southern lights.”

Weather is awesome. #cwgpicoftheweek

ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7uK3SoaCnn6Sku7G70q1lnKedZLumw9JompqomamurXnWnpitoJWneqitzaBmsKhfZ31yg45pamhrYWS9qq%2BMqJ1mrJiaerixxKRknZmqr7mqusZmpaiqpJ2ys7qMpaCgoKSoeqWtzZycZpmSpMOmecuaop5lo6q9pr7IqKlo