Already have an account?
Get back to the
Beauty

6 Awe-Inspiring Photos From This Week’s Northern Lights

Tags:

The Nothern Lights are a beautiful sight to behold, and on the night of Sept. 6 and the morning of Sept. 7, more states than usual were able to view the breathtaking scenery. Due to a geomagnetic storm and a large solar flare, the Aurora Borealis not only covered a larger area than normal but also gave off “ghostly lights.”

In the 15 states where the lights would be visible, Americans flocked to their yards to take in the scene. With cameras — some professional and some just iPhones — in hand, they snapped some amazing photos that will make you want to book a trip to see Aurora Borealis with your own two eyes.

View this post on Instagram

Northern lights from the top of Coney Mt

A post shared by Ted Merrihew (@tedmerrihew) on

View this post on Instagram

Due to a coronal mass ejection that has recently occurred, that is, a release of plasma and magnetic field from the solar corona, keep your eyes peeled for a solar storm on the most epic scale: over the next few nights in Juneau! That is, the Northern Lights, also known as the Aurora Borealis. Coronal mass ejections often follow solar flares and are normally present during a solar prominence eruption. The plasma is released into the solar wind, and can be observed in coronagraph imagery. Check out this local imagery of Juneau by Nathan Kelly @nathan_kelly…whoa! #AlaskaLive #juneauwhalewatch #juneautours #juneaualaska #mendenhallglacier #alaska #wildalaskalivebbc #wildalaskalivepbs #bbcwildlife #whalewatching #whalewatchingcruise #whalewatchingtrip #humpbackwhale #whale #whales #juneauempire #alaskamagazine #lastfrontiermagazine #alaskabeyond #alaskabeyondmagazine #alaskaairlines #southeastalaska #southeastalaskanature #coronalight #coronal #coronalmassejection #northernlights #auroraborealis

A post shared by Juneau Tours & Whale Watch (@juneauwhalewatch) on

What are the Northern Lights?

The Northern Lights are a scientific phenomenon that occurs when gas emitted by the sun hits the Earth’s magnetic field. In a complex reaction, the charged particles collide with nitrogen and oxygen atoms in the air to produce the dazzling light show.

Where can I see the Northern Lights?

Aurora Borealis is most clearly visible at highter latitudes closer to the poles, meaning Alaska and Canada are probably the closest areas that would provide the best viewing experiece. You can also travel overseas to Antarctica, as well as Scandinavia, to catch this sight.

When is the best time to view the Northern Lights in Alaska?

Presuming you are in the U.S., Alaska would most likely be the closest location to watch the Northern Lights. In The Last Frontier, the lights are visible all year round, but it’s best to visit in the spring or fall (March or September).

h/t House Beautiful

More from Woman’s World

This Dress Looks Beautiful, But Wait Til You See What Happened After It Was Underwater For Two Years

Rare ‘Pink’ Rainbow Lights Up the Sky

11 Times Angels Showed They Walk Among Us

Use left and right arrow keys to navigate between menu items. Use right arrow key to move into submenus. Use escape to exit the menu. Use up and down arrow keys to explore. Use left arrow key to move back to the parent list.