Northern Lights Spotted at Ordway!

Above: Photos from 5/10-5/11 at Ordway Field Station (credit: Jerald Dosch and Claire Wiley)

Seeing the Northern Lights is a once-in-a-lifetime experience for many, and earlier this season Ordway was blessed with the spectacular light show! 

I was particularly excited because seeing them was on my bucket list and after many failed attempts back home in Wisconsin, I wasn’t sure I was going to be able to see them any time soon. But when local news outlets started whispering about an incoming geomagnetic storm, I knew that I had to try to see them. 


The Northern Lights are caused when electrons sent from the sun crash into the atmosphere and move in line with the Earth’s magnetic field, bumping into different gasses like oxygen and nitrogen. The different colors that appear are from crashing into these gasses, so for example, the characteristic green is caused from collisions with oxygen atoms. 


They normally appear between 60-75 degrees in latitude, so when there is an especially intense geomagnetic storm that spreads into lower degrees of latitude (like to St. Paul, MN) it is a special treat. In addition, the sky must be clear with no clouds and little to no light pollution, which is what makes seeing them in a city like St. Paul particularly difficult. This is why Ordway, which is a little outside of the city, was a perfect viewing spot. 


At first when we sat outside, the sky looked really cloudy, so we were afraid that the clouds would block the light show. But after closer inspection, we realized that those clouds weren’t really moving like clouds…they were actually the Northern Lights! After a little bit more time, the lights exploded directly above us.


From the building next to the prairie, the views above were constant for a few hours. Down at the lake, they could be seen over the water. It was truly a magnificent experience, and my friends and I couldn’t stop talking about how beautiful it was! It truly was a once-in-a lifetime experience and very much worth the wait. 


I hope this has inspired you to go hunting for the Northern Lights, whether it’s the first time or the 8th time (like me)! My advice to you: bring warm clothes, plenty of snacks, and a little bit of luck. Happy sky-gazing! 


- Claire Wiley 🐻

Want to see when the next best time for viewing the Northern Lights? Check out this NOAA site, where the next two evenings are always predicted. 


Sources: 

https://www.mtu.edu/tour/copper-country/northern-lights/ 

https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/phenomena/aurora 

https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/products/aurora-viewline-tonight-and-tomorrow-night-experimental 

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