8/6/2011 Auroras Borealis “NorthernLights” over central Minnesota

A vivid display of the Auroras Borealis or Northern Lights erupted late Friday, Aug. 5th and continued well past midnight over Central Minnesota. The light show was caused when a coronal mass ejection (CME) hit Earth’s magnetic field and sparked a G4-category geomagnetic storm according NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Prediction Space Weather Prediction Center.

The bright green aurora was highlighted with pink, red and purple colors as it pulsated for several hours. At times it was bright enough to shine though the high thin lay of clouds that moved over the area.