Current:Home > MarketsRed and green swirls of northern lights captured dancing in Minnesota sky: Video -Ascend Wealth Education
Red and green swirls of northern lights captured dancing in Minnesota sky: Video
View
Date:2025-04-11 23:21:00
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! (77)
Related
- Charges tied to China weigh on GM in Q4, but profit and revenue top expectations
- Atlantic season's first tropical storm, Alberto, expected to form over Gulf Wednesday
- WNBA rookie power rankings: Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese start to break away from pack
- Ángela Aguilar addresses scrutiny of Christian Nodal romance: 'Let people talk'
- Selena Gomez's "Weird Uncles" Steve Martin and Martin Short React to Her Engagement
- Alaska troopers search for 2 men after small plane crashes into remote lake
- Russian court sentences US soldier to nearly 4 years on theft charges
- North Carolina House budget gets initial OK as Senate unveils stripped-down plan
- Rylee Arnold Shares a Long
- Pittsburgh-area bicyclist electrocuted after apparently encountering downed power lines
Ranking
- At site of suspected mass killings, Syrians recall horrors, hope for answers
- FEMA urged to add extreme heat, wildfire smoke to list of disasters
- Birmingham, former MLB players heartbroken over death of native son Willie Mays
- Celtics have short to-do list as they look to become 1st repeat NBA champion since 2018
- Apple iOS 18.2: What to know about top features, including Genmoji, AI updates
- Number of children killed in global conflicts tripled in 2023, U.N. human rights chief says
- Trump Media share price down 39%: Why the DJT stock keeps falling
- Julia Roberts' Rare Photo of Son Henry Will Warm Your Heart Indefinitely
Recommendation
Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Triathlon
One catch, one stat: Why Willie Mays' greatness is so easy to analyze
Arkansas governor signs income, property tax cuts into law
Jennifer Lopez Vacations in Italy Amid Ben Affleck Split Rumors
Sarah J. Maas books explained: How to read 'ACOTAR,' 'Throne of Glass' in order.
More homeowners are needed to join the push to restore Honolulu’s urban watersheds
Austin Butler Shares Insight Into Being an Uncle to Ashley Tisdale's Kids
Mets point to Grimace appearance as starting point for hot streak