As reported in the Washington Post, the Northern Lights, or aurora borealis, could be seen over our area last night. Hard to spot from brightly-lit College Park, but more outlying areas had some spectacular views.

High levels of solar magenetic activity release energetic particles that interact with Earth's magnetic field. This leads to ionization in the upper atmosphere that produces an area of colorful light. Normally, this effect is most visible near the Earth's magnetic poles, but in extreme cases can reach middle latitudes - like this week!

We're not expecting the phenomenon to necessarily recur tonight, but it can't hurt to keep your eyes on the sky just in case! You never know what you'll see.

 

 

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2024/10/11/dc-maryland-virginia-northern-lights-aurora/