Last night’s aurora show! with photos

Thursday night into Friday morning Alaska time, we had the usual low but fluctuating Kp levels. But things appeared to be looking up (ha) as the data was pretty good; the solar winds and density and Bz were just right and sparked a nice show that lasted all night long. The entire state saw the lights (where the weather was clear) and the Kp level spiked at Kp 6. Not too many reports from further south, as the sun was rising when the Kp was high enough to really be seen down there. Wisconsin reported a glow on the horizon, but most folks either gave up since it was very late, or very early in the morning, depending on how you look at it. This is part of why we love the aurora so much. The surprise.

From the time the sunset, all the way to sunrise, the aurora was seen across the state:

10:37pm Delta Junction, Alaska. Photo by Birch Leaf Photography
10:37pm Delta Junction, Alaska. Photo by Birch Leaf Photography
Tami Biorn took this shot at midnight in Wasilla, Alaska
Tami Biorn took this shot at midnight in Wasilla, Alaska
North Pole, Alaska, 3am
Debra Meaning Bee photo. North Pole, Alaska, 3am
6:13am Palmer, Alaska, the sky burst into color. PicAx Photography
6:13am Palmer, Alaska, the sky burst into color. PicAx Photography