A large flare of the aurora borealis around 10:04 p.m. last night at Jones Beach.
Nicole Formisano
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If you looked up at the sky at the right time last night, chances are you saw a flood of pinks and greens lighting up the night. The aurora borealis graced Long Island last night, Oct. 10.
It’s exceptionally rare for the aurora borealis, or northern lights, to be visible as far south as Long Island, but thanks to yesterday’s severe geomagnetic storm where around one billion tons of solar plasma collided with earth’s magnetic sphere, we were able to catch a lucky glimpse of the phenomenon.
Here are some pictures captured across Long Island — or even 30,000 feet in the air!
The view of the aurora borealis while flying out of JFK airport last night was breathtaking.Jennie SiesenerThe aurora as captured by the National Weather Service in New York.National Weather Service NYThe beauty of the aurora borealis has inspired millenia of mythology, from the Norse to the Innuit to the Greek.Emily HaldasThe stars really have to align to time a night flight perfectly with a once-in-a-lifetime showing of the aurora borealis.Alyssa FormisanoThe aurora is sometimes difficult to see with the naked eye — but our phones and cameras have an easier time.Timothy BolgerWhen we see greens and pinks dance across the night sky, it’s really earth’s magnetic sphere absorbing energy from highly-charged sun plasma in a geomagnetic storm.Alyssa FormisanoThe first large flare of visible magnetic activity was a little before 7:30 p.m. the night of Oct. 10.Nicole FormisanoFor more scene & seen event photos, click here.
