It was a brilliant night sky for millions of people in the northern U.S. as the aurora borealis, or northern lights, made an appearance in more than half of the country. As can be seen by the photos above taken north of Lane, the dazzling display was in full force right here in Jerauld County, SD as well.
“I took them about a mile north of Lane and started shooting at about a quarter to 10,” said Lane resident Terra Linn. “But the really good show started at about 11 p.m.”
Linn, who has several apps on her phone to alert her of solar flares and chances to see the northern lights, shot the above images on her iPhone 13 Pro.
“It’s easier to move from place to place and get in and out of my car than my normal camera,” she explained. “If I use my Nikon, I have to use a tripod and a remote.”
The colorful phenomenon comes after the sun had a solar flare erupt on Friday that was directed toward Earth, according to the NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center. As a result, 30 states had the chance to see the aurora borealis, stretching from Washington to Maine, and as far south as Kansas as long as weather conditions permitted.
According to Space Weather Prediction Center, the most favorable cloud conditions were over the Midwest, Plains and parts of the Great Lakes.
“I stay up late every time I hear they are going to be out. They are fascinating,” shared Linn. “The show on Sunday night was absolutely extraordinary.”
