A young girl in Tennessee describes looking at a rare event that rarely occurs south of the Artic Circle. Thanks to several recent solar flares, the northern lights have been seen in areas where they are not usually observed. (I just may be doing this tonight; will let you know Friday how they were and/or if I saw 'em! :D)
Boy, you talk about LOVELY and SPECTACULAR...
Last night, we saw something neat, and it STILL has our family talking today!
We were watching "The Wizard of Oz" on television, and daddy called us all outside. It was just about dark out, and he wanted us to look at something in the northern sky. He said there were waves of multicolored lights shimmering like curtains in a breeze, and he was absolutely spellbound by them. When we saw the lights, well, you can imagine our reaction. We all went "Ohhhh" and "Ahhhh" and "Oooooo!"; it was similar to the reaction when we saw the Leonid meteor shower last year and also whenever we saw fireworks on the Fourth of July. He was right. In the northern sky, just above the trees, were lights that were waving gently across the sky, and it reminded me of our living room drapes blowing in a breeze. They would change colors: red, to green, to blue, to white, to yellow, then purple, orange, aqua, pink. And the colors would change back again. They were really quite bright, and we all stood there, in our yard, our faces raised to the sky, and our mouths were, I am sure, hanging open.
Daddy was telling us that we were witnessing an event that is quite rare outside of Canada or Alaska, or the Artic Circle; he was saying that this was happening because of several "solar flares" that came to earth in recent days, and this was one of the effects from these so-called "flares". He said that they were called aurora borealis, or the northern lights, and while they didn't harm anyone or anything, they did cause people to look up whenever they occurred, especially in an area where we were. It is rare to see something like the northern lights here this far south, but what we saw was nothing short of spectacular. He said the news folk were saying the lights could be observed as far as Houston, Texas, or areas like central or southern Louisiana or Mississippi, places that rarely, if EVER, see anything like the aurora borealis! He said they were unusually bright, and they usually don't get this bright this far south, that this was about a once in a lifetime event.
And it was, too.
Ronee' was especially fascinated with the lights; she couldn't believe that she was seeing something that people saw in Alaska or northern Canada or the Artic Circle nearly every day; and it boggled her mind. She found them to be very beautiful, and I was inclined to agree with her.
Daddy said that the northern lights would be visible for a few days, and then we wouldn't see them again until the next time another solar flare occurred; and that would be something like every four or five years. So, if it happened again in five years or so, I would be nearly 17, nearly an adult!
I can't wait until then! :D
~Love, Gemini, aged 12.
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Reviewed by Cathy Montgomery
10/30/2003
Missed reading you! Your stories are always so very real and delightful to read, as well! big hugs for you!!!
A wonderful story Karen! I saw them when I lived in Canada back in the seventies. A sight never to be forgotten.One of the reason I write so much about celestial happenings;-) so glad you got to see them and write about them...Eileen
Reviewed by Kate Clifford
10/29/2003
The Northern lights are quite the sight to see. To experience them, I have always found hard to explain. The beauty is breath taking. But there is also this mystical, magical feeling about them. Also a few interesting legends. Just don't whistle if you see them......it is thought they will pick you up if you do and you will never be seen again. Thanks for the sharing of this write!
Rasputin, the most feared wolf in the forest, bent on revenge for old insults. But then one night his life is turned around and a new future presents itself... will the old wolf choose to accept it?
Boy, you talk about LOVELY and SPECTACULAR...
