The most powerful geomagnetic storm in 20 years delivered the most amazing auroras across the globe last night. It was an extremely rare G-5 level event that followed a series of strong solar flares and coronal mass ejections (CME for short) from mid-week.
Experiencing the aurora was a bucket list night for me and a lot of other people. The pictures on social media from Europe, Canada, China, and the US (as far south as Florida!) are insanely breathtaking. Never did I ever imagine that I would see an aurora in my home state of Missouri. And, I will never forget it.
People go in search of auroras. The aurora hunters and enthusiasts travel thousands of miles at the perfect time of the year, to the areas of the world that are known for their gorgeous display of green, pink, purple, and blue, only to be let down because the lights fail to make their appearance on demand. I know, I spent three nights trying to track the aurora in Iceland last year. It’s disappointing.
Little did I know that I’d be able to see them right from my front and back yard before 10 pm on May 10, 2024. As you can see from the pictures, they were pink, red, and a little green. The red is a result of the intense storm (and being further south). And while our northern hemisphere gives us the aurora borealis or northern lights, the aurora australis brings about the southern lights in places like Antarctica, Tasmania,and even Australia.
I’m exceptionally lucky. Last night was my fourth viewing of the aurora. My first was in 2018 on an airplane to Alaska, somewhere over Canada. They were vivid green and I watched them move throughout the sky at 39,000 feet at the end of August. It was such a peaceful moment because most everyone on the plane was asleep. I woke my boys to take a peek, but I felt like the lights were dancing just for me.
The next time was on a plane to Iceland in April 2023. Unfortunately, I wasn’t sitting by the window so I had to awkwardly crane my neck over the gentleman who had the prime seat. The third time was two days later in Reykjavík. Even with the city lights, they were visible to the naked eye. I have posted pictures in a prior blog post if you’d like to take a look. It was a perfect day—we had just returned from an incredible excursion in the southern part of Iceland. I ran out from my hotel room, in my robe, to the rooftop to catch a glimpse. Last night I was also in my robe. Therefore, I think I either need to be on an airplane or in my robe to see the aurora!
There’s a chance the northern lights will make a return over the next couple days. Please come back to Missouri, Aurora!
Christina’s Journey Journal 