My Fellow Americans: Will you look for the Northern Lights tonight?

@TheHorse (220245)
Walnut Creek, California
April 23, 2023 8:52pm CST
I love the Northern Lights. They make me feel there is something "bigger than me" out there, whether or not there is a God that is separate from the best of what "man" can do. That's a pretty accurate description of how I feel when I see the Northern Lights. I have seen them mostly from Montana, but I have also seen them in Iowa, North Dakota, and even here in Northern California one year. I went to visit my horse that night, to get away from the suburban lights, and she got to watch them with me. She was more interested in her food, but it was a touching moment for me anyway. I read an article today saying that literally half of the US might be able to see the Northern Lights tonight. The "line" for "will see/won't see" starts in Central Oregon and swoops down into the Southern Midwest, resolving over New York State. The best time for viewing will be from 10 PM to 2 AM, local time. Will you go out and look for the Northern Lights tonight?
18 people like this
19 responses
@DaddyEvil (137634)
• United States
24 Apr 23
Articles online say the aurora won't be visible in Southern Missouri, only in states further North.
4 people like this
@TheHorse (220245)
• Walnut Creek, California
24 Apr 23
Same here. I may stumble outside after 10 PM, just in case. If I'm still awake.
3 people like this
@DaddyEvil (137634)
• United States
24 Apr 23
@TheHorse I'll still be awake but it's 46F outside and I don't want to go out.
2 people like this
@TheHorse (220245)
• Walnut Creek, California
24 Apr 23
@DaddyEvil 46 F isn't that bad. I'd just put on long pants and a winter coat. Maybe they'll mention it on your local news radio station if it's visible there. I'm not counting on it here. But I may stay awake .
1 person likes this
@rebelann (112966)
• El Paso, Texas
24 Apr 23
I wish but EP is too far south to get to see such beauty
3 people like this
@rebelann (112966)
• El Paso, Texas
24 Apr 23
Huh, I didn't know about that, all I ever look for is Orion.
2 people like this
@TheHorse (220245)
• Walnut Creek, California
24 Apr 23
@rebelann Orion in the Winter. And Scorpius in the Summer. I enjoy them both.
2 people like this
@TheHorse (220245)
• Walnut Creek, California
24 Apr 23
Some day I want to go to the Southern Hemisphere and see the Southern Cross.
2 people like this
@LadyDuck (472074)
• Switzerland
24 Apr 23
Wasted time here, this is not something we can see at our place.
2 people like this
@LadyDuck (472074)
• Switzerland
24 Apr 23
@TheHorse I do not think so, you have to go a lot more north here in Europe. You can see it in Sweden and Norway.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (220245)
• Walnut Creek, California
24 Apr 23
@LadyDuck That's "hecka" North!
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (220245)
• Walnut Creek, California
24 Apr 23
Can they be seen occasionally from the Northern part of Switzerland?
1 person likes this
@wolfgirl569 (108126)
• Marion, Ohio
24 Apr 23
I don't know if I would be able to see them. But it's cold out
2 people like this
@wolfgirl569 (108126)
• Marion, Ohio
24 Apr 23
@TheHorse Will be letting the dogs out soon. They can watch them for me
2 people like this
@TheHorse (220245)
• Walnut Creek, California
24 Apr 23
@wolfgirl569 Have you ever seen the Northern Lights? It can be a life-changing experience. It was for me.
2 people like this
@TheHorse (220245)
• Walnut Creek, California
24 Apr 23
Go check now, before it gets really chilly!
2 people like this
@noni1959 (10109)
• United States
24 Apr 23
I wish I could but we are cloudy and already had less chance where I am but was possible. I'm in Prosser WA right now. I want to go to Alaska and see them.
2 people like this
@TheHorse (220245)
• Walnut Creek, California
24 Apr 23
It is a really cool thing.
2 people like this
@TheHorse (220245)
• Walnut Creek, California
24 Apr 23
@noni1959 That would be very cool. OK, I'm heading to the balcony again. North is to my left.
2 people like this
@noni1959 (10109)
• United States
24 Apr 23
@TheHorse Where I moved a month ago, it gets 300 sunny days a year. So far this year has only seen maybe a handful. I'm planning on seeing it next year in Alaska if all goes well.
2 people like this
@RubyHawk (99405)
• Atlanta, Georgia
24 Apr 23
No, we won’t see them in Georgia.I hear they are so beautiful, I’d love to see the Northern Lights.
2 people like this
@TheHorse (220245)
• Walnut Creek, California
24 Apr 23
I added a generic photo of what they looked like when I saw them in Montana. I didn't take it. It's from internet land.
2 people like this
@TheHorse (220245)
• Walnut Creek, California
1 May 23
@RubyHawk They come in many different colors. But white tinged with green is pretty common.
1 person likes this
@RubyHawk (99405)
• Atlanta, Georgia
25 Apr 23
@TheHorse Do they really look so green? I thought they would be a light yellow.
1 person likes this
@AmbiePam (93883)
• United States
25 Apr 23
My dad’s wife has always wanted to see them. We can’t see them here in Oklahoma, but I imagine one day she’ll “strongly suggest” to my father they go see them in person too.
1 person likes this
@AmbiePam (93883)
• United States
25 Apr 23
@TheHorse Me too.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (220245)
• Walnut Creek, California
25 Apr 23
I hope they get to see them together.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (220245)
• Walnut Creek, California
25 Apr 23
@AmbiePam It would be a cool experience.
1 person likes this
@BarBaraPrz (47667)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
24 Apr 23
By "tonight" you mean "last night"?
1 person likes this
@BarBaraPrz (47667)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
24 Apr 23
@TheHorse Twenty-five or six to four.
@TheHorse (220245)
• Walnut Creek, California
24 Apr 23
Well, it was tonight when I wrote it, but last night in Europe, Australia, South Africa, India and the Philippines. And other places too! But now it's last night, even here. But what is time? Aren't we always frozen in exactly where we are now? Does time even exist? And what was in those mushrooms I bought at Safeway yesterday?
1 person likes this
@ptrikha_2 (47072)
• India
24 Apr 23
Watching Northern Lights would perhaps be an enjoyable sight for many folks in US. Would you be able to capture any pictures?
2 people like this
@TheHorse (220245)
• Walnut Creek, California
24 Apr 23
I added an internet picture here. I don't have cameras good enough to do that.
2 people like this
• United States
24 Apr 23
I would have loved to see the Northern Lights but didn't see them here. I'm envious of everyone who did get to see them.
1 person likes this
• United States
24 Apr 23
@TheHorse sorry you were disappointed. Some day I hope I'll actually get to see them
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (220245)
• Walnut Creek, California
24 Apr 23
@Marilynda1225 They're really hard to predict. I've seen them up in the Northern states a few times in my life, but I could never figure out a pattern.
@TheHorse (220245)
• Walnut Creek, California
24 Apr 23
I went outside at abut 10:30 PM. I couldn't see any stars. I think a fog must have rolled in. No Northern Lights for me.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (121714)
• Gainesville, Florida
24 Apr 23
Here in Florida I probably have a better chance of seeing the Southern Lights than I do the Northern Lights. But lucky for me, I spent a great deal of time with relatives in Alask when I was a young teen, and one of my greatest memories from that time period was seeing the Northern Lights. Hope you enjoyed if you had the chance to see them.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (121714)
• Gainesville, Florida
26 Apr 23
@TheHorse Probably where you’re at is not so bad, but I’ve read numerous articles about Southern California saying that the light pollution is so prevalent that even on good nights people can’t see the stars. But I’m sure it’s that way in any heavily populated metro area.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (220245)
• Walnut Creek, California
26 Apr 23
@moffittjc I'd have to see in SF. here in the 'burbs, we have some light pollution, but I can see some stars and planets from my house. When I REALLY want to see the sky, I drive out to horse country.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (220245)
• Walnut Creek, California
24 Apr 23
I'm glad you got to see them! I think some fog moved in. I couldn't even see stars last night.
1 person likes this
@just4him (317241)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
24 Apr 23
I woke up several times during the night and tried to see them. I know many people did here as it was on the news this morning, but sadly, I didn't see them.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (220245)
• Walnut Creek, California
24 Apr 23
All I saw was a hazy sky with no stars. Perhaps a fog moved in. I haven't checked the news yet to see how far South people could see them on the Left Coast.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (220245)
• Walnut Creek, California
25 Apr 23
@just4him Its OK. I have seen them before. Tonight, I won't bother checking.
1 person likes this
@just4him (317241)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
24 Apr 23
@TheHorse I'm sorry you didn't see it either.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (342088)
• Rockingham, Australia
24 Apr 23
If I were there I would. We saw the Southern Lights once when we lived it Ravensthorpe. They don't appear too often here.
2 people like this
@TheHorse (220245)
• Walnut Creek, California
24 Apr 23
Is Ravensthorpe pretty far South?
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (342088)
• Rockingham, Australia
24 Apr 23
@TheHorse Yes, just about as far as you can get in our state. Do you get told that the lights WILL appear? Or do they say weather conditions mean they MIGHT appear? What's the go?
@LindaOHio (181721)
• United States
29 Apr 23
I totally forgot about it. It's lucky that hubby and I saw the Northern Lights when we lived on Lake Erie about 50 years ago.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (220245)
• Walnut Creek, California
29 Apr 23
I am glad you have gotten to see them.
1 person likes this
@LeaPea2417 (37379)
• Toccoa, Georgia
24 Apr 23
I live too far South to see the Northern Lights.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (220245)
• Walnut Creek, California
24 Apr 23
Yep, I wouldn't expect to see them in Atlanta, even if there had been unusual solar activity.
1 person likes this
@RasmaSandra (80736)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
24 Apr 23
No, I don't venture further than my front porch in the dark, I hope you get to see them,
@Fleura (30541)
• United Kingdom
24 Apr 23
I have never seen them although I have been to northern Scandinavia and Iceland (as well as living in the Midwest, but that is further south then we are here in the UK). Last year they were faintly visible from parts of this county, if you found a dark enough spot and photographed them with the right sort of lens, apparently.... personally I didn't bother with that. I want to see the really awe-inspiring display that lights up the whole sky with curtains of coloured lights.
@JESSY3236 (20041)
• United States
25 Apr 23
I didn't get to see them. I only see them in pictures or videos on the computer.
• Puerto La Cruz, Venezuela
24 Apr 23
How beautiful that you can enjoy the northern lights. It must be something magical.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (220245)
• Walnut Creek, California
24 Apr 23
It really is. I did not see them last night, however.