Madison witnessed a sightseeing northern light show on Oct. 9 and 10.
The northern lights, or aurora borealis, are typically only visible near the polar regions. However, extreme solar activity can extend the viewing range south. While it is typical for only northern Wisconsin to see the lights, this year, the Madison area received a glimpse of the show as well.
This year brings more solar activity since this year marks a time of peak activity in the sun’s 11-year cycle, bringing increases in electromagnetic activity.
This can lead to solar flares, which NASA defines as an “intense burst of radiation coming from the release of magnetic energy associated with sunspots.”
An increase in sunspots can lead to more coronal mass ejections, which are large eruptions of magnetized solar plasma. When directed toward the Earth's surface, the interaction between these energized particles and atmospheric gasses leads to the aurora borealis. Different gasses produce different colors.
Last week, the northern lights were best seen on Thursday and Friday.
Crowds gathered around Memorial Union, Observatory Hill and other spots on campus to capture photos of the view. Seeing the northern lights is difficult with the naked eye, but cameras are able to better capture the colors. Photos with a longer exposure time will be able to pick up the colors best.
Opportunities to view aurora borealis are expected to come up throughout the 2024-25 winter season. The Space Weather Prediction Center updates their aurora borealis viewing prediction tool daily.
