Current:Home > StocksRed and green swirls of northern lights captured dancing in Minnesota sky: Video -ProsperityStream Academy
Red and green swirls of northern lights captured dancing in Minnesota sky: Video
View
Date:2025-04-19 02:39:39
A photographer in Minnesota was able to capture video of a mesmerizing northern lights display as swirls of red and green danced across the night sky.
Another geomagnetic storm made the colorful phenomena known as aurora borealis visible during the weekend across the Midwest region of the United States, and Carol Bauer was there to document it Sunday in Grand Marais.
“My husband and I traveled to Grand Marais to see the fall colors and were thrilled to get a great view of the northern lights too,” Bauer told Storyful.
Bauer is among millions of Americans who should expect to have more opportunities in the coming months to catch the striking display as the sun reaches the height of its 11-year cycle.
Watch the video Carol Bauer captured of the Northern Lights:
Northern lights visible across Midwest
Last week, a massive solar flare accompanied by coronal mass ejections – clouds of plasma and charged particles – made their way toward our planet, driving a geomagnetic storm that made the auroras visible in multiple northern U.S. states.
Though the the natural light display in Earth's sky is famously best seen in high-latitude regions of the northern and southern hemispheres, the northern lights became visible during the weekend across the U.S. In addition to Minnesota, the stunning display of rays, spirals and flickers could be seen in places along the U.S.-Canada border and even as far south as Oregon and Pennsylvania, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Space Weather Prediction Center.
Peak northern lights activity:What to know as sun reaches solar maximum
Peak aurora activity to coincide with height of solar cycle
Fortunately for aurora chasers, there will be far more opportunities to catch the northern lights soon.
Electromagnetic activity is increasing as the sun continues to reach the height of its 11-year solar cycle, which NASA said is expected to be in 2025.
As the sun reaches the peak of Solar Cycle 25, sunspots located in regions of intense magnetic activity should increase, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. When that magnetic activity is released, it creates intense bursts of radiation resulting in solar flares hurtling toward Earth at the speed of light.
Some of these flares can be accompanied by coronal mass ejections that emerge from the sun's outermost atmosphere, the corona.
These ejections can collide with Earth’s magnetosphere, the barrier protecting humanity from the harshest impacts of space weather, to produce geomagnetic storms that unleash spectacular views of the northern lights in parts of the country where auroras are not often visible.
Eric Lagatta covers breaking and trending news for USA TODAY. Reach him at elagatta@gannett.com
veryGood! (9)
Related
- Meta releases AI model to enhance Metaverse experience
- Why Deion Sanders believes Travis Hunter can still play both ways in NFL
- ‘Fake heiress’ Anna Sorokin debuts on ‘Dancing with the Stars’ — with a sparkly ankle monitor
- Eric Roberts makes 'public apology' to sister Julia Roberts in new memoir: Report
- Senate begins final push to expand Social Security benefits for millions of people
- AP PHOTOS: Life continues for Ohio community after Trump falsely accused Haitians of eating pets
- Diddy is accused of sex 'freak off' parties, violence, abuse. What happened to 'transparency'?
- Phoenix could finally break its streak of 100-degree days
- Juan Soto to be introduced by Mets at Citi Field after striking record $765 million, 15
- Justice Department sues over Baltimore bridge collapse and seeks $100M in cleanup costs
Ranking
- Olympic women's basketball bracket: Schedule, results, Team USA's path to gold
- John Thune is striving to be the next Republican Senate leader, but can he rise in Trump’s GOP?
- What will become of Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ musical legacy? Experts weigh in following his indictment
- Jealousy, fear, respect: How Caitlin Clark's been treated by WNBA players is complicated
- Oklahoma parole board recommends governor spare the life of man on death row
- Woman accused of driving an SUV into a crowd in Minneapolis and killing a teenager
- RHOSLC Alum Monica Garcia Returning to TV in Villainous New Role
- Heat Protectants That Will Save Your Hair From Getting Fried
Recommendation
US wholesale inflation accelerated in November in sign that some price pressures remain elevated
See Inside Gigi Hadid's Daughter Khai's Super Sweet 4th Birthday Party
Harvey Weinstein set to be arraigned on additional sex crimes charges in New York
‘Fake heiress’ Anna Sorokin debuts on ‘Dancing with the Stars’ — with a sparkly ankle monitor
DoorDash steps up driver ID checks after traffic safety complaints
Why Deion Sanders believes Travis Hunter can still play both ways in NFL
Trail camera captures 'truly amazing' two-legged bear in West Virginia: Watch
Shohei Ohtani hits HR No. 48, but Los Angeles Dodgers fall to Miami Marlins