The Northern Lights

While I was in college, in central Iowa in the 1980’s, we saw the Northern Lights one night in late summer/early fall—and I’ve seen them here in Western WI —both rural areas. Of course not as intense as in Canada/Alaska—but also not as cold or far away…

I lived briefly in Juneau, and spent a fall and part of the winter there in 1989 (i think). This particular season was regarded as having especially spectacular Northern Lights. It is more common to see the ribbons of green across the sky, but this particular year, the colors frequently included vibrant purples, reds and blues. Jaded natives would run outside in the snow, sometimes forgetting to put shoes on in their haste, and would ooh and ahh like the fourth of july. Trippy stuff!