The Northern Lights Light Up Vancouver

A solar storm on Aug. 3 and 4 allowed people to see a spectacle that is usually just reserved for those who live in the northernmost regions - the northern lights. Technically referred to as aurora borealis, the northern lights are a natural phenomenon resulting from the emission of photons and chemicals from the sun's surface that are usually only seen in areas around the north poles, such as in northern Alaska. In the case of Tuesday's light show, unusual solar activity allowed the northern lights to be seen as far south as Vancouver, Wash., where I myself viewed the lights.

Tuesday morning, Aug. 3, local news and weather channels reported the chance of a potential sighting of the northern lights occurring late Tuesday night or early Wednesday morning. Like anyone who had never seen the northern lights before, I was excited to try to see this natural phenomenon for myself, and was even more thrilled to read later news reports predicting that the best chances for seeing this natural light show would probably occur between 10:30 and 11:00 p.m. Aug. 3.

Around 10:35 p.m., I drove up to perhaps one of the tallest regions in Vancouver (located in southwest Washington, just across the Columbia River from Portland, Oregon); my particular viewing point was on a hill overlooking the Washington State University Campus, with the Mt. Vista neighborhood behind me. From my spot on the top of the hill, I had a relatively unobstructed view toward the northeastern horizon, where the aurora borealis was predicted to occur.

Between 10:45-11:00 p.m., I was not disappointed, as I indeed got to witness this beautiful natural spectacle. While I did not get to see a brilliantly bright light show in blues and green hues like some regions witnessed, I did still get to see the northern horizon light up with prolonged flashes of white and bright red/orange lights. The light flashes ranged from orange flashes somewhat similar to heat lighting in shape to more streak-like beams of light. Due to the lights of the neighborhood behind me and the campus in front of me, however, I was not able to photograph this unusual solar show; the close urban lighting would interfere with the long exposure times needed to fully photograph the northern lights. The best viewing of the northern lights would be in a less populated region, due to the light pollution in areas like my own.