Aurora Borealis Spotted in Rare Celestial Event

By Staff, Agencies

Some Coloradans had the extraordinary opportunity to view the Aurora Borealis in person as the lights made a rare appearance in the state at around midnight on Sunday.

According to a tweet from the National Weather Service in Boulder, the lights were visible to the naked eye in Northern Colorado, especially near Fort Collins and toward the Wyoming border. 

The Aurora Borealis, also referred to as the Northern Lights, is caused when electrons from the sun enter the Earth's upper atmosphere.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration observed a 'G3' strength geomagnetic storm impact the globe early this morning, due to eruptions from the sun that took place on February 24 and 25. Geomagnetic storms are categorized from 1-5, 1 being minor and 5 being extreme. The eruptions sent two coronal mass ejections hurling toward the Earth, making the Aurora Borealis possible as low as Colorado.

"Impacts to our technology from a G3 storm are generally nominal. However, a G3 storm has the potential to drive the aurora further away from its normal polar residence and if other factors come together, the aurora might be seen over the far Northeast, to the upper Midwest, and over the state of Washington," the NOAA website reads.

Aside from producing the celestial event, little to no impact is otherwise expected from this geomagnetic storm.