On October 10, many Virginia residents eagerly held their phones up to the sky, hoping to catch a glimpse of the northern lights as it made a rare appearance in the region. This stunning display was the result of a strong geomagnetic storm that allowed many in the mid-Atlantic to witness the northern lights, otherwise known as the aurora borealis. The lights were visible in most northern states, with its reach possibly going as far south as Alabama.
Ameena Chowdhury, Briar Woods Sophomore, recounts her experience, saying that, “The lights were visible around 7pm. I just had to step outside my house to see them.”
The northern lights form when charged particles from the sun hit gasses in Earth’s atmosphere, causing them to emit light. These particles are guided by Earth’s magnetic field towards the northern polar regions such as Sweden, Iceland, and Norway. However, the stronger the solar storm, the more widely the northern lights can be seen. In the past year, the sun has been in its solar maximum, leading to increased magnetic activity. The geomagnetic storm that caused the recent northern lights was ranked at a 4-5 on The NOAA Geomagnetic Storm Scale, which is quite severe. This explains why so many were able to witness them.
Ms. Jedrzejczak, AP World teacher at Briar Woods did not personally see the lights herself, however she mentioned, “I found it interesting that my friends from Michigan to New York were all talking about how they saw it. It had such a far reach.”
However, when not actively searching for them, the lights may have been easy to miss. Factors such as weather conditions and light pollution could have interfered with the view. Additionally, since smartphone cameras are much more sensitive to light than the human eye, pictures of the northern lights look much more vibrant than what could actually be seen.
Adya Garg, Briar Woods Sophomore, describes the view she saw, saying, “You could see that the sky was tinted red but it was really faint. It looks much brighter on camera.”
Forecasters mention that the sun should still be especially active from the end of 2025 to the start of 2026, so there are still multiple possibilities of seeing the northern lights again.
