I See the Lights--I See the Northern Lights

Streamers of green a red radiate from the northeastern sky during an Aurora Borealis display in this short time-exposure capture around 9:30 PM on November 5, 2001. The auroras, more familiarly known as "The Northern Lights," were caused by a powerful solar flare a day earlier. The colorful displays are a result of oxygen and nitrogen atoms in an excited state from the collision of solar wind above 50 miles in the Earth's atmosphere. Green indicates oxygen emissions; red, nitrogen. The bright star at top center is Capella. The planet Saturn is the left bright spot in the red area above the house roof, the star Aldebaran is next to it at right. Rising but partially obscured by the trees at bottom center is a waning gibbous moon and the planet Jupiter. The houses in the background are located on Brookdale Lane NE in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.