Night Lights

Last night at 9:45 pm MST I stepped out on the deck on the north side of the house to view the moonless sky just to see the glittering stars and the Milky Way. I got much more than I bargained for! There was a bright beam of light emanating from the dark mountains. I could tell it was non-local and as I investigated further, I could see it was actually an arc which landed on the eastern horizon, an albino evening rainbow.

I was still a bit stunned to see this unusual occurrence and ran in to get my coat. When I came back out the show had begun. Rays of light had started shooting up into space and the arc had taken on the effect of a moonbeam (sun?)set. The rays dimmed and brightened in different arrangements of shimmering and undulating patterns. By now I had decided that I must indeed be witnessing the Aurora Borealis!

I just had to go in and wake up Clark to share the wonder of it all. The glorious display had brightened and spread more widely across the sky. There was even a tinge of red to the east. I became vaguely aware in my peripheral vision of ethereal beams of light overhead. If you looked for them or at them, you could not see them. But if you just gazed up, there they were, shimmering like light playing on the top of water, you underneath. I had to lay down on the grass to relax enough to take in all of the subtleties of the lights.

I tried to give up the concert of lights several times when I realized I was getting cold and the brilliance was fading. But each time I came in and took off my coat, I would take one last look out of the darkened kitchen window and see another glowing area with different plays of light. Finally, about 12:30 am, I looked straight up overhead on the deck and witnessed mists of light particles splashing over the house.

I feel extremely honored to have been allowed the experience of witnessing the great light show of the Gods. - Aurora Borealis
CCharged particles precipitating along the magnetic field lines create the aurora. The emission is caused by the radiativ t originate from the solar wind.harged particles precipitating Charged particles precipitating along the magnetic field lines create the aurora. The emission is caused by the radiative deexcitation of atmospheric constituents, that were ionized by collisions with the precipitating particles that originate from the solar wind.Aaafhglkdjfalong the magnetic field lines create the aurora. The emission is caused by the radiative deexcitation ofaonstituents, that were ionized by co
Text © 2004 Mona E. Dunn