Aurora watchers share beautiful photos of the Northern Lights
The sun is in a sharing mood and aurora watchers bask in the glow. Our nearest star has been spewing out bursts and sending solar material towards Earth, creating some of the brightest and most far-reaching auroras in years. Thursday night was a particularly wild show, with the Northern Lights stretching deep into the US.
We’ve collected aurora images from across the country, from CNET staffers and their families and friends – and even one from space. Enjoy the swirling, colorful lights and keep an eye on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Center for Space Weather Forecasting for aurora forecasts. The sun will remain geomagnetically bad-tempered, giving skywatchers more opportunities to catch the northern lights.
International Space Station
NASA astronaut Don Pettit shared this image of the aurora from the International Space Station.
One of the most awe-inspiring views of the aurora came from the International Space Station. NASA astronaut Don Pettit shared a snapshot to
‘Beautiful was the word’ wrote Pettit. “It looked like the space station had been shrunk to a miniature size and placed in a neon sign. We weren’t flying above the aurora; we were flying into the aurora. And it was blood red.” Pettit used a Nikon Z9 for the shot.
Virginia
CNET’s James Bricknell snapped a purple glow from Virginia.
CNET’s James Bricknell used the astrophotography setting on a Google Pixel Fold to capture a glowing purple aurora from the northern reaches of Virginia.
Kansas
This was the aurora image from Kansas.
CNET’s Chris Wedel witnessed the aurora’s changing red and green colors from Lyon County, Kansas. This image is from a Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold with the Night Sight setting – read CNET’s tips on how to take better photos in Night Mode here.
Another view from Kansas gives a perspective with trees in the foreground.
Kari Wedel used a portable Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 with automatic night mode to get this image of the aurora, along with the green leaves of the trees in the foreground.
South Carolina
CNET’s Erica Devaney spotted the Northern Lights from South Carolina.
The aurora lit up the sky in Tega Cay, South Carolina, creating a pink glow over the water. CNET’s Erica Devaney used an iPhone 15 Pro for this view.
New Mexico
Photographer Virginia Thompson captured this blush of aurora from New Mexico.
The aurora extended far south on Thursday. This ruddy aurora glow was seen from Albuquerque, New Mexico, with a rugged desert landscape below. Virginia Thompson captured the view with a Moto G Power phone.
New York
New York residents were treated to the Northern Lights on October 10.
This serene scene shows a green and purple aurora reflecting in the water. CNET’s Richard Peterson shot this beauty using an iPhone 14 Pro with a 1-second exposure in Monroe, New York.
The glowing lights of a house provide a counterpoint to the red aurora above.
The red aurora flashes above a house with illuminated windows. Using an iPhone 14 Pro, CNET’s Jeffrey Hazelwood took 3 seconds to capture this scene in the Catskill Mountains.
Pennsylvania
This vibrant aurora scene appeared in Pennslyvania.
The aurora lights came on at Haverford College in Pennsylvania. Dean Myers used an iPhone 15 to discover this ethereal purple-red glow.
Missouri
A vibrant aurora seems to emerge from the treetops.
Ciearra Jackson’s iPhone 14 Pro Max delivered a stunner of a shot that highlighted tall trees in the foreground with a blazing aurora reaching into the sky above Hillsboro, Missouri.
Missouri participated in the Aurora action.
Angie Olive’s iPhone 13 picked up this dance of green and red lights from Festus, Missouri.
Oregon
The aurora seen from Dundee, Oregon.
The photo of Sarah Marcus was taken from a field in Dundee, Oregon, using a Samsung Galaxy S10, manual settings, ISO 500, 26mm, f/2.4 with an exposure time of 20 seconds.
Alaska
The Northern Lights in Alaska.
As far north as it is, Alaska had a fantastic show of the Northern Lights in the sky.
