WeatherFanatics: PHOTOS: Northern Lights Bring Dazzling Colors to Many

Saturday, September 13, 2014

PHOTOS: Northern Lights Bring Dazzling Colors to Many

By Jordan Root, Meteorologist

September 13,2014; 7:34AM,EDT

Several colors from the northern lights greeted stargazers in Nova Scotia, Canada. Facebook Photo/Béatrice Schuler-Mojon

Normally dark skies were lit up with a vibrant display of colors on Friday night as the northern lights, or aurora borealis, dipped unusually far south.
A stronger-than-normal coronal mass ejection (CME), or a cloud of charged particles from the sun, reached the earth's atmosphere around midday Friday, setting the stage for rare nighttime treat for some.
Due to its strength, folks who typically miss out on these spectacular displays because of their location were able to be counted as part of the audience on Friday night.
Locations from the Pacific Northwest to the central Plains, as far south as Nebraska and Iowa, and across the Great Lakes and Northeast, were able to catch a glimpse of the colors.
The northern lights are seen everyday at high latitudes. However, they are more noticeable and enhanced when the sun fires out a stronger burst of charged particles.
These particles excite atoms and molecules of Earth's atmospheric gases, primarily oxygen and nitrogen. As the molecules return to their normal state, they release energy in the form of light, typically blue, green and red, depending on the gas.
AccuWeather.com has compiled some great photos from Friday night of the colorful display. Make sure to tweet @BreakingWeather your picture or post it on the AccuWeather.com Astronomy Facebook page.

Beautiful colors lit up the sky near Kingston, New York Friday night. Facebook Photo/Peter J. Scott.

Much of Maine was able to catch a glimpse of the northern lights Friday night. Facebook Photo/Angie Lee Sinnes

Another gorgeous picture out of Maine. This one was taken in Acadia National Park around 9 PM EDT. Facebook Photo/Vath. Sok

Vibrant colors spanned the nighttime sky in the Rangeley Lakes Region of Maine Friday night. Facebook Photo/Kyle Haley

Several colors greeted stargazers in Nova Scotia, Canada. Facebook Photo/Béatrice Schuler-Mojon
Some content of this story was contributed by Michael Kuhne, AccuWeather.com Staff Writer.

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