The Northern Lights Made A Surprise Appearance In Michigan This Week

Mother Nature can be a show-off when she wants to be.

There are some parts of the world where catching a glimpse of a sparkling Aurora Borealis is basically a sure thing. But the US state of Michigan is not usually one of them.

Locals were delighted to discover the picturesque Northern Lights had appeared over parts of the state’s Lower Peninsula and Mackinac Bridge into the early hours of Monday morning.

It doesn’t seem particularly out-of-the-ordinary until you consider the fact that the months from December until March are generally considered best for catching the natural show, provided you’re located above the arctic circle in countries like Iceland, Canada or Norway.

Auroras (or geomagnetic storms) are created when electrically charged particles travel along magnetic fields into the earth’s upper atmosphere, colliding with gas atoms that cause them to emit coloured light. To be visible from earth, Auroras require incredibly clear conditions, which Michiganders were treated to this week.

(Lead image: Jim Trodel / Flickr)

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