Palouse Outdoors:Experiencing the Aurora Borealis

A cool autumn breeze zipped over the homestead the night of October 7 as I stood by the barn, attacking a tree limb that had fallen upon the fence. The white alders growing along the ditch are as old as time. The diameter of their sprawling limbs would make a California redwood envious. The lichen-stained railroad tie posts and cedar boards were no match. Replacing that corner section of the fence and gate was on my "to-do" list but failed to reach a priority status until that moment.

Dusk had blanketed the property with a heavy October chill, a welcomed feeling compared to the lingering summer heat. The scent of charred wheat chaff settled on the breeze from freshly burned fields. A faint amber glow appeared on the eastern horizon, suggesting an active fire nearby. The glow intensified to fire engine red, shooting across the sky overhead in an unexpected display from the mysterious Aurora Borealis, the Northern Lights, or simply Aurora.

This same sky appeared before me late one starry autumn night in western Virginia around 2003. Massanutten Mountain appeared ablaze, and naturally, I assumed fire, having never seen or expected to see the Aurora that far south. No one mentioned otherwise the following day, but no one had seen the spectacle. Not the neighbors, coworkers, or the media, and no fire had occurred. Although unlikely, I suspected Aurora, which was confirmed on this October night over 20 years later.

This wasn't the first time that Aurora had visited Washington this year. Her showing on May 10th and 11th was particularly memorable. Social media erupted with the Aurora forecast for the globe, boasting latitudes as far south as northern Texas could see nature's light show. I found myself excited for the first time in recent memory, given that Aurora is something many only dream of seeing in our short time on Earth.

On the night of May 10, faint streaks of light appeared to east and north, like haze or a light fog coming in waves, but the magic of technology revealed the Aurora in its full glory. Streaks of chartreuse, fuchsia, and violet danced across the sky like rippling wind chimes with colors more vibrant than any man-made mimicry in a once-in-a-lifetime marvel.

Although Aurora's vibrance is not always seen with the naked eye, the power of modern mobile phones and other photography technology captures what the naked eye cannot process or access. A camera reveals Aurora's majesty because it can pick up a wider range of light wavelengths than our eyes can perceive, revealing colors we might miss. Additionally, longer exposure times gather the light that Aurora emits, accentuating the colors.

Mobile phone technology is now so sophisticated that one can adjust the exposure times to capture nighttime images. I found that a three-second exposure with an iPhone best captures Aurora's dynamic mirage effect, which can be pronounced with minor editing to make the colors pop. Aurora is reliably predicted by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), but how can a natural phenomenon like this be predicted with any reliability? The Aurora is predictable because NOAA scientists monitor the sun's solar activity. Sunspots are cooler areas on the sun's surface that cause solar flares and "solar storms," bursts of energy – the release of magnetic energy and plasma that interact with the Earth's atmosphere to create the "northern lights." Charged particles are released from the sun's surface, and upon contacting the Earth's atmosphere, they collide with gas atoms like oxygen and nitrogen. This collision excites the gas atoms, which emit brilliant light and color.

Research has shown sunspots and their associated solar activity ebb and flow on an 11-year cycle. The cycle concludes with the sun's magnetic poles flipping, which causes the star's surface particulate disruption, i.e., solar storms. The cycle is currently at its peak, frequently revealing the Aurora with such intensity that it can be seen well below Earth's North Pole.

NOAA uses what's known as the "Kp index" to predict the likelihood that Aurora will be visible when and where. The "K" index or "Planetary-K" index (Kp) quantifies the horizontal movement in the Earth's magnetic field over three-hour intervals. An index of zero is calm and shows green on the index intensity scale. A five or higher indicates a solar storm and shows red. Nine is at the top of the scale, reflecting an extreme storm and a 100 percent chance of seeing Aurora. The Kp index hit at least 8 in the Waitsburg area on May 10 and 11 and again on October 7 and 11 when the Aurora was visible. Aurora's colors progress from green to purple and pink and top out at bright red when the solar storm is extreme.

Aurora's October 7 visit was less known than other predicted dates, and October 11 paled in comparison. Still, Aurora is never boring. If you missed the best of the show in 2024, you'll have a second shot at seeing it. The current solar cycle remains at peak activity through 2025, and resources are available to track solar activity. Smartphone Aurora prediction apps that provide Kp index values are available. NOAA operates a continuously updated Aurora prediction website showing the intensity and visibility around the globe at http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/products/aurora-30-minute-forecast.

Don't miss your opportunity to witness one of the wonders of our magnificent solar system from the comfort of your hometown. Be prepared for Aurora to return in 2025. Download your preferred Aurora prediction app, bookmark the NOAA forecast website, and monitor the media for announcements of heightened solar activity. Experiencing the best of Aurora may mean drinking large quantities of caffeinated beverages and staying vigilant throughout the night for a flare to erupt, but lost sleep is well worth the experience.