Back on May 10, we saw an absolutely incredible display of auroras across the South. I figured that would be the only display like that of the year; they are pretty uncommon, but boy, was I wrong.
I get a notification to my phone every time there is a solar flare or radio burst. At times, this can be a bit annoying because some days the sun is very active with lots of little flares. This past Tuesday, though, I was glad I did. I was immediately excited when the sun let out the giant X1.8 flare. This flare was Earth-directed, and a geomagnetic storm seemed likely. As a space, science, and photography nerd, I was absolutely stoked at the potential.
When the sun set on Thursday, Oct. 10, I knew pretty quickly it would be a great show. I could see pink and purple in the sky before it was fully dark, a first for me, so I quickly sped out of the house. With the recent damage from Helene, my favorite aurora spot was closed off due to road damage. So, I headed to another favorite star-watching spot on Thunder Hill outside Blowing Rock, NC.
I could see the aurora as soon as I stepped out of the car. Temperatures were quite chilly, in the 40s, with a breeze, so I bundled up, grabbed the camera, and spent the next three hours watching Mother Nature’s Light Show. The reds, greens, and purples were out of this world and rivaled, if not exceeded the May event. The structure of the pillars was almost unbelievable, and their brightness was impressive.
The camera was able to pick up more than the eye. I am still in disbelief at some of the shots I came home with. I’ll let them speak for themselves.
I’m hopeful I will catch this beautiful phenomenon again soon.
