Colorful Northern Lights Sky Captivate MCHS Students

Mason City’s skies were brightly filled with the vivid glow of the northern lights on Tuesday night, catching the attention of many MCHS students.

“This is the first time I’ve been able to see them,” said junior Skye Haakenstad. “It’s really cool being able to see something so beautiful all the way from Iowa.”

Northern Lights Erupt

Two incoming solar flares that scientists call coronal mass ejections (CME), from the Sun’s atmosphere, are sparking intense geomagnetic reactions in the Earth’s atmosphere; meaning that the northern lights that appeared are some of the brightest in a long time. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the high impact of these CMEs are likely to stir up some geomagnetic storm conditions. The NOAA has issued a G4 storm watch for November 12th. These can cause power grid outages, radio blackouts, and disruption to GPS and satellites.

Skywatching Opportunity

What this means for Northern Iowans is a chance to capture some impressive photos and admire an extremely rare sight for the next few days. “My sister is the one who pointed it out to me,” said Mya Sanchez, “At first I thought it was a smudge on my glasses.”

Even in the heart of Mason City, some were still able to see the lights from their front lawns. Freshman, Kendall Sberal was at work when she heard about the display.

“My parents were texting me, so I was excited to see them,” said Sberal. “When I got out of work they were bright red and green. I took out my phone, and it was way easier to see. I adjusted the brightness.”

The lights will continue to be visible over the next thirty six hours, beginning around nine pm in twenty one US states. Make sure to check out the night’s sky as it continues to light up with a stunning, rare view of the Aurora Borealis.