Americans share mesmerising visuals of the dazzling northern lights, marking a first for many

The appearance of northern lights, which dazzled the skies across the US, was a once-in-a-lifetime sight for many Americans.

A strong solar storm triggered a dazzling display of colourful auroras across various parts of the US. The mesmerising views were captured by people and shared on social media, with many expressing that it was their first time seeing the northern lights.

The Northern Lights, also known as the aurora borealis, illuminate the night sky in Johnston, Iowa, US. (Brian Owens via REUTERS)

“Witnessed Northern Lights for the first time,” an individual wrote as they posted a video. The clip captured the bright green-hued aurora in the night sky.

How did others react?

“It’s getting stronger. The palm tree is a reminder that I’m in Florida… and this is NOT normal.”

“Northern lights in Northern Mississippi. You can see them with the naked eye.”

“This is the most impressive I've seen the Northern Lights. And the only time I've been able to see it so clearly with my naked eye.”

What causes auroras?

Auroras are caused when energised particles from the sun interact with the Earth's upper atmosphere. The electrically charged particles excite the gas atoms and molecules in Earth’s atmosphere, generating auroras.

Why do auroras have different colours?

The colours of the auroras are determined by the gases that the particles are hitting upon entering the atmosphere. The most common colour of the aurora is green.

What are the other colours of the auroras?

Although comparatively less frequent, during intense solar activity, some of the dazzling lights also appear red, according to Space.

The other combination includes blue and purple, which is less common. The rarest types of hues in auroras are yellow and pink. It forms when red auroras mix with green or blue ones.