Northern Lights "easily visible" from Mount Washington
NORTH CONWAY, N.H. - The northern lights appeared in the skies over New England this weekend, and the region's highest peak got a stunning look at the aurora borealis Sunday night.
The Mount Washington Observatory shared a photo of the northern lights from when they were at their peak at about 10:15 p.m.
Here is another view of last night's Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) when it peaked around 1015 EST. Numerous pillars...
Posted by Mount Washington Observatory on Monday, November 13, 2023
"Numerous pillars were easily visible by the naked eye before fading about an hour later," the Observatory said. There were also reports that they could be seen in central New Hampshire and northern Maine.
The light show was a little bit delayed - the National Weather Service had forecast a moderate geomagnetic storm that had the potential to produce an aurora in the region on Saturday night - but it was worth the wait.
What causes the Northern Lights?
Activity on the surface of the sun can cause dazzling list display in our skies. The northern lights can be seen when the energy from solar flares strikes the Earth's magnetic field.
"The collisions produce light much like how electrons flowing through gas in a neon light collide with neon and other gasses to produce different colored light bulbs," the NWS says.
Earlier this year, the northern lights were on full display as far south as Massachusetts. Stargazers here said the pink and green was the most vibrant they've ever seen.
While not always easy to see with the naked eye, long-exposure photography can better capture the brilliant colors.
If you captured any photos of the northern lights this weekend, send them along to weather@wbztv.com