For a brief two-day period, the Aurora Borealis could be seen by citizens all across the state of Illinois, illuminating the typically dark sky with varying shades of green, purple and even pink!
According to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), auroras are caused by a phenomenon that occurs when solar wind reaches Earth, whereupon it interacts with the planet’s magnetic shield and often times accumulates energy. Once that energy is eventually released, it rains down on the Earth’s atmosphere, causing auroras like the Aurora Borealis and the Aurora Australis.
The aurora’s strikingly beautiful hues originate from instances where space particles collide with gases in the Earth’s atmosphere, infusing these gas molecules with a little more energy that is released in the form of light. The color is dependent upon the type of gas molecule that is hit and its location within the atmosphere, as per NASA.
The aurora that could be seen this Nov. 11 and 12, commonly known as the Northern Lights, was likely caused by a recent strong geomagnetic storm. Though they are not usually visible this far south, the strength of the storm was able to push the lights far enough so that Illinois residents were able to enjoy the beautiful light display for not one night, but two.
Many students at Lake Land College (LLC) went outside during these few short nights to see the lights and take pictures, including much of the Navigator Staff. Izzy Garofano, reporter, excitedly exclaimed that upon seeing the lights, she was, “in awe of the beauty of Nature!”
“They gave the sky a deep purple hue with strobes of pink and bright green,” Garofano said as she described the lights she saw on the first night.
Jr. Layout and Design Editor, Alexis Johns, commented that the Northern Lights were, “super cool to be able to see them in my own backyard,” as “nothing was blocking my sight.”
Outside of the Navigator, Avery Gill, a part-time college worker at LLC, expressed that the Northern Lights were a fascinating thing to witness, adding, “I’d never expected to be able to see them as well as I could with the naked eye.”
The Northern Lights, despite their propensity to be fleeting, certainly made an impact this year on the students of Lake Land and across the state of Illinois.
