Statewide Iowa (RI) – Many Iowans were able to witness a rare weather phenomenon Tuesday night as the bright greens, pinks, and reds of the Northern Lights were visible for several hours, and there may be a repeat performance tonight.
Meteorologist Alex Gibbs, with the National Weather Service, says it was a true treat to see the nighttime sky show.
Social media accounts are clogged this morning with dazzling photos of the lights, and many people are noticing how the cameras in our smart phones seem to capture even better images than we’re seeing with our eyes.
Forecasters say conditions may be favorable to see the famed aurora borealis again this evening, if weather permits.
While the forecast calls for partly to mostly cloudy conditions for much of Iowa this evening, Gibbs says we may still be able to see the swirls of color in the patches of open sky.
If you’ll be venturing out tonight to try your luck, University of Iowa physics and astronomy professor Allison Jaynes offers a few tips for how best to view the Northern Lights.
Even if it doesn’t look like a very bright light show, Jaynes says it’s worth trying to shoot some long-exposure photos with your smartphone. If you’d like to try, she says, don’t just hold the phone up and shoot.
The sun will set late this afternoon at 4:57.
KIWA Staff Photo
