Earlier this week, the Sun did its big one, producing the largest solar flare in nearly two decades. In its aftermath, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration issued a severe geomagnetic storm watch for Thursday and Friday. This storm could not only temporarily disrupt power and radio signals, but also trigger stellar spectacles across the world known as aurora borealis.
Last night, as I traversed the streets of Brooklyn, photographers worldwide turned their eyes to sky.
While auroras are happening nearly constantly at the earth's polar regions, recent increased electromagnetic activity has made this year a good one for seeing these celestial displays in lower latitudes.
Of course, this doesn't apply if you live in New York City, where the naturally occurring spectacle is blocked by the constant light of the city that never sleeps.
But that's fine! If you squint, this almost looks like Times Square.
As photo after photo of the Northern Lights filled my timelines, from friends as far south as Dallas, I observed their findings with polite serenity. I certainly wasn't filled with envy.
I most definitely didn't relate to tweets from fellow New Yorkers that went something like "i don't care if you saw the northern lights, it should've happened to ME." Those people should show more gratitude to our busy, busy streetlights.
I lived in the greatest city in the world, I reminded myself as a noble rat scurried across the subway platform while I waited for my delayed—unhurried, I would say—train.
Who needs a dazzling vista of pinks and purples and greens splashed across the night sky when you have a sitting mayor currently under indictment?
And anyway, those in the city truly determined to see the Northern Lights were still more than able to do so. For proof, look no further than this undeniably gorgeous image captured by my colleague and fellow New Yorker David Roth last night. "There's a little something going on here," Roth observed.
Take that, Dallas!
