Between the 8th and 10th of May 2024, the sun released several powerful bursts of plasma along with multiple X-class solar flares from a group of rapidly growing sunspots. These so-called Coronal Mass Ejections, or CMEs for short, raced through space until they slammed into the Earth's magnetic field on May 11th, creating a solar storm and display of Aurora Borealis visible all the way down to Hawaii. Colorado was a prime location to view the event, and colorful streaks and pillars danced across the sky all night long. This was a rare event, comparable in strength to some of the notable solar storms of the past. But there doesn't need to be a storm of historic proportions to see Northern Lights in Colorado.
Viewing Northern Lights in Colorado is certainly possible, even common at times, such as during high levels of solar activity also known as "Solar Maximum.” As luck would have it, we are right smack in the middle of Solar Maximum, so this active pattern is expected to last for the next several months or more. I have personally seen and photographed over a dozen auroral displays here in western Colorado just in the past year.
To the unaided eye, the Northern Lights usually look like a pale white or gray glow to the north. They can easily be confused with light pollution, so to see them, it is best to be in a location away from developed areas with too much artificial light. It also helps to have an unobstructed view to the north, though the stronger displays are visible almost anywhere.
Luckily, western Colorado has many dark sky places to get a good view.
During the stronger outbreaks of Northern Lights, dancing rays and colors are visible to the unaided eye. However, it really helps to have a good camera to get the most out of the experience. Certain cameras, including DSLRs and even the newer mobile phone cameras, can take long exposures - a technique which brings out the fantastic colors and fine details of the dancing display.
If you want to try to catch an auroral display, there are several apps and web pages that can provide information as to when auroras are predicted. The Space Weather Prediction Center issues daily aurora forecasts, and websites like spaceweather.com and spaceweatherlive.com offer in-depth analysis and real-time data so you can track the conditions yourself. There’re even apps that will alert you when a solar storm is underway.
So, you don’t need to go to the far north to see the Aurora Borealis. With planning, the right equipment, and a little luck, you can see them right here in western Colorado.
Music written and produced by Kenny Mihelich (ma-HELL-itch). Western Slope Skies is produced by the Black Canyon Astronomical Society and KVNF Community Radio. This feature was written and narrated by Aaron Watson.
