Kansans catch amazing shots of the aurora borealis

WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) – Kansans captured some amazing shots of the aurora borealis or northern lights late Sunday into early Monday.

A strong geomagnetic storm increased auroral activity. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the northern lights were a result of “electrons colliding with the upper reaches of the earth’s atmosphere.” The agency updates its space weather predictions regularly on its site and said the strength of Sunday night’s space weather event exceeded initial expectations.

At night, rays from the aurora borealis can create an arc that stretches from horizon to horizon. Close to midnight, those arcs sway and sometimes can expand to fill the entire sky.

“When we see the glowing aurora, we are watching a billion individual collisions [between the particles and atoms and molecules], lighting up the magnetic field lines of Earth,” NASA writes.

The northern lights are best observed away from city lights, which can drown out the aurora.

Although conditions have eased, auroras might still be visible as far south as South Dakota and Iowa late Monday and early Tuesday if skies are dark.