This weekend, many Bay Area residents caught a glimpse of the pinkish, purple glow of the aurora borealis illuminating the night skies — thanks to a powerful solar storm.
Images of the northern lights lit up social media, which experts had cautioned might not be visible everywhere. “The redder the color over a state or province, the more likely auroras will be visible. The greener the color, the less likely they will be visible,” said Andrew Fraknoi, astronomer and professor at the University of San Francisco’s Fromm Institute and the OLLI Program at SF State.
This was the strongest such solar storm seen in over 20 years. But if you were one of the many people who missed the light show this time around, don’t worry. “The next year or so will be a good time for space weather fans,” Fraknoi said.
Here’s a roundup of some of those stunning moments around the Bay Area.
