View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Peter Forister, a weather writer for EarthSky, took this amazing photo from Shenandoah National Park in Virginia on March 23, 2023. Peter wrote: “Photo from the auroral substorm overlooking the Shenandoah Valley near Luray, Virginia. Shot from around 11 p.m.” Thank you, Peter! See more great aurora photos below.
Aurora photos from the geomagnetic storm
On Thursday morning, March 23, 2023, EarthSky warned of a geomagnetic storm in our daily Sun Activity post. And storm it did! People reported seeing the aurora as far south as Oklahoma, New Mexico, Arizona and Virginia. Enjoy some of our favorite aurora photos from the fantastic storm.
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Kelly Morris captured this image on March 23, 2023. Kelly wrote: “From the frozen shores of Canyon Ferry Reservoir near Townsend, Montana. The clouds were open just enough to get a few good photos early in the evening before they totally covered the sky. I was pretty excited about my first ever aurora borealis photo shoot!” Thank you, Kelly!View at EarthSky Community Photos. | James McCue captured this image of the aurora from Jemez Springs, New Mexico, on March 23, 2023. James wrote: “A friend gave me a heads up that the geomagnetic storm was going on, so I grabbed my camera and set up for a time lapse. I was pleasantly surprised at how vibrant the aurora was so far south. This is my first time viewing the aurora.” Congrats, and thank you, James!View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Brian Piersa in Forest Lake, Minnesota, captured this image of the aurora on March 24, 2023. Thank you, Brian!
More aurora pics
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Diane Rains in Hudson, Wisconsin, captured this image on March 23, 2023. Daine wrote: “Words are inadequate to describe the amazing experience of last night’s 7.67 Kp (at peak) aurora: Spectacular? Stunning? Superlative? Spiritual? All fall short! So here is the first of my pictures to say what words can’t. I only wish my camera were capable of making an aurora movie. The rapids of this aurora – pulsing waves of light – were surreal! And this aurora sang to me! A mysterious, beautiful sound like crickets on a summer evening, but lower in tone and slower. Her voice joined with the singing of coyotes in our local forest, no doubt affected by the extremes of electromagnetic energy. Magical and lovely!” Thank you, Diane!View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Kathie O’Donnell outside of Rapid City, South Dakota, captured this image on March 23, 2023. Kathie wrote: “Highest KP I’ve ever seen for our area. The clouds went away and out of town we went to view the show. Many people will see the aurora tonight. AWESOME.” Indeed it was! Thank you, Kathie.View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Elmarie van Rooyen in Smoky Lake, Alberta, Canada, captured this image on March 24, 2023. Elmarie wrote: “Had a wonderful treat early this morning. So active!” Thank you, Elmarie!View at EarthSky Community Photos. | I even tried my own hand at photographing the aurora on March 23, 2023. With just an iPhone and despite neighborhood light pollution, I managed to capture a shot of the waving aurora, some of the best I’ve seen from southern Wisconsin.
Bottom line: A geomagnetic storm produced aurora visible from even southern states on March 23, 2023. See some of EarthSky’s best aurora photos here.
Kelly Kizer Whitt has been a science writer specializing in astronomy for more than two decades. She began her career at Astronomy Magazine, and she has made regular contributions to AstronomyToday and the Sierra Club, among other outlets. Her children’s picture book, Solar System Forecast, was published in 2012. She has also written a young adult dystopian novel titled A Different Sky. When she is not reading or writing about astronomy and staring up at the stars, she enjoys traveling to the national parks, creating crossword puzzles, running, tennis, and paddleboarding. Kelly lives with her family in Wisconsin.
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