The otherworldly beauty of the Northern Lights is a phenomenon usually saved for spectators from the Arctic Circle. Yet, there have been instances when these dazzling colors have been observable from our very own country — and we’re not just talking about Alaska. The Northern Lights become visible when there are collisions between particles electrically charged from the sun that enter the Earth’s atmosphere. During certain solar storms, these particles extend further from the poles where they normally reside.
It’s hard to believe, yet the following photographs are instances where the Aurora Borealis has been seen from the continental U.S. You may just have to see it to believe it:
- Lake McDonald, Glacier National Park, Montana
Diana Robinson/flickr
- Deronda Bay, Grand Portage, Minnesota
Jason Carpenter/flickr
- Boulder Lake, Duluth, Minnesota
Rich Hoeg/flickr
- North Flathead River, Glacier National Park, Montana
Diana Robinson/flickr
- Milo, Maine
Mike Lewinski/flickr
- Louisa, Virginia
davidmurr/flickr
- New Gloucester, Maine
Mike Cempa/flickr
- Lake Ontario, Webster Park, New York
Rich Engelbrecht/flickr
- Tippecanoe, Indiana
Thomas Bunton/flickr
- Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge, Sherburne, Minnesota
USFWSmidwest/flickr
- Denver, Colorado
NASA/flickr
- Spokane, Washington
Jonathan Fox/flickr
What are your thoughts on the photographs above? Have you ever observed the Northern Lights from the continental U.S.? If so, we’d love to hear about your experiences.
Diana Robinson/flickr
Jason Carpenter/flickr
Rich Hoeg/flickr
Mike Lewinski/flickr
davidmurr/flickr
Mike Cempa/flickr
Rich Engelbrecht/flickr
Thomas Bunton/flickr
USFWSmidwest/flickr
NASA/flickr
Jonathan Fox/flickr
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