My Fellow Americans: Will you look for the Northern Lights tonight?
By The Horse
@TheHorse (206014)
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?
20 people like this
20 responses
@DaddyEvil (137142)
• 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
@DaddyEvil (137142)
• 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 (206014)
• 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
@wolfgirl569 (95368)
• 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 (95368)
• Marion, Ohio
24 Apr 23
@TheHorse Will be letting the dogs out soon. They can watch them for me 
2 people like this
@TheHorse (206014)
• 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
@BarBaraPrz (45511)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
24 Apr 23
By "tonight" you mean "last night"?
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (206014)
• 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 (45527)
• 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
@Marilynda1225 (79804)
• 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
@Marilynda1225 (79804)
• 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 (206014)
• 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.
@moffittjc (118492)
• 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 (118492)
• 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 (206014)
• 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
@LindaOHio (156488)
• 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
@LeaPea2417 (36469)
• Toccoa, Georgia
24 Apr 23
I live too far South to see the Northern Lights.
1 person likes this
@RasmaSandra (73538)
• 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 (29141)
• 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 (18921)
• United States
25 Apr 23
I didn't get to see them. I only see them in pictures or videos on the computer.
@JimBo452020 (42629)
• United Kingdom
24 Apr 23
Sometimes we don't even have to go outside.
Just look out of the window
It's great living in Scotland.
We have dark skies so the Northern Lights show up great.
We even have songs about them
@zulfrontado (198)
• 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
