At a Glance
- Photos show the Northern Lights glowing green and purple over the U.S. Thursday night and early Friday.
- Scientists are still exploring why auroras are more common near the equinoxes.
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Skies lit up green and purple over a large swath of the continental U.S. Thursday night into Friday morning as photographers headed out to capture the gorgeous Northern Lights.
More than a half-dozen states were able to view the celestial event. National Weather Service offices in Washington state, Montana, Wyoming, Minnesota, Wisconsin, South Dakota, North Dakota, and New York reported views of the aurora borealis overnight.
According to Space.com, auroras peak around the spring and fall equinoxes. Scientists aren't clear why geomagnetic storms, which cause auroras, are more frequent during these times, but the most common theory is that the Earth's slanted magnetic poles are in a good position to receive the charged particles associated with auroras.
Click through the slideshow above to see colorful photos of the glowing skies.
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