Northern Lights of Dudley

Dudley, North Carolina

One of the trips I have dreamed about is seeing the Northern Lights. I never thought that the best view that I would have had so far was in my own backyard. Twice recently, I’ve been able to see the fabled Aurora Borealis, thanks to photo enhancements on my iPhone. The northern lights, or Aurora Borealis, are triggered by solar flares from the sun’s surface. When particles from the sun interact with charged particles near the magnetic poles, the result is the colorful light show we all expect. Usually, the phenomenon is only seen in the polar regions, but when solar debris is present, the effect can be magnified into lower latitudes. When solar flares are more frequent, the northern lights are more prominent.

We know that the northern lights can be seen pretty far south. One story taught in many southern schools was that the Northern Lights were seen immediately after the Battle of Fredericksburg. The Union and Confederate troops described the meaning of the Aurora Borealis very differently, but no doubt it was a solar storm that entered the atmosphere.

Occasionally, a massive show is seen throughout the southern United States, where the Northern Lights are visible. In both October 2024 and November 2025, I captured the northern lights with my phone, though the ones in November 2025 were easier to see with the naked eye. Usually, the Northern Lights appear green, but because of the high particle count, we were able to see a wide variety of colors. This article from Perlan in Iceland describes the many color variations found in the show. I’m thankful that we have had a couple of times to witness the show in my own backyard.

Does this mean that I still don’t want to travel to Canada, Iceland, or Norway to see the northern lights? No, it only inspires me to go because the show is so much better in the polar regions. NOAA has started doing forecasts for the Northern Lights, so it is best to check before venturing outside at night. The best times of year to see the northern lights are during the winter months, so the Coca-Cola Polar Bears might be on to something.

The Earth is an amazing place, and I do not believe it is an accident that we all ended up on this little blue dot in the vastness of space. Earth not only supports our lives but also provides dazzling displays of its natural wonders. It is amazing, though, when it happens in your own backyard. For that, I really did not have to take them anywhere, just to the backyard.