I wanted to post on this topic because I have had the fortune to witness this for myself, and they are so beautiful and astonishing to behold. As described below, photographs pale in comparison to what the actual phenomenon looks like in person.
I have seen the Northern Lights here in Minnesota but they were not as vivid as some of the pictures from the Alaska website that was referenced here. I do admit that it is a spectacular sight to see in person, and am glad I was able to see it at least once in my lifetime.
I can't explain the northern lights myself, but I do like the pictures and I'm sure it will be much more elegant in person. In my opinion the northern lights are the sun's light bouncing off a ripple or fluxuation in the earth's atmosphere and light catches just right, like a rainbow in the drops of water.
Go Northern Lights Hunting In Autumn
The best time to experience the Northern Lights is in Autumn, when the weather is milder and skies are clear. We recommend three places for seeing the aurora borealis.
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