A young girl writes about the northern lights, otherwise known as the aurora borealis.
Like Ronee', I, the author of this story, have seen the northern lights, several times in fact. I saw them twice in Ohio, and four times here in Texas; I have seen them six times total. While they were NOT as bright or spectacular as they are in Alaska, Canada, or the Artic regions, they were still thrilling to look at, and we always look forward to when the Lights come to "visit" us here in Texas! The Lights are a rare event here, and when they DO come, it is always a special treat!
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Have you ever seen the Northern Lights?
I have, more than once.
I saw them last year and also again a few weeks back; the Northern Lights are an awesome spectacle, and it is NOT common to see them this far south. (I live in Tennessee.) You are more than likely to see the Northern Lights in places like the Artic Circle (Finland, Sweden, Norway, etc.) or in Alaska or Canada than you are here; but when one DOES see them, the sight of the multi-colored lights wavering in the northern skies are sure to leave quite an impression on those who are fortunate enough to see them. They sure have left an indelible impression on ME.
The Northern Lights happen when there are storms on the sun (called "solar flares"), and when the storms come to earth, the energy the storm releases can cause things to happen on earth, like power outages, problems with communication devices such as telephones, or strange lights to appear in our northern skies. The lights are the energy from these so-called "solar flares", and at times, they are nothing short of spectacular, especially when you go to someplace like Alaska or the Artic Circle, where Northern Lights are common.
To me, the Northern Lights remind me of multi-colored curtains waving in a brisk breeze: they dance and pulsate across the sky, and they change colors: orange, pink, red, white, blue, aqua, green, yellow, purple; and back again. They are really cool to look at, and whenever I see the Northern Lights, I am always amazed and excited. I have only see them a few times in my life, but I would LOVE to go to Alaska; I hear that up there, they are really spectacular, much more so than they are here this far south.
To get a good view of the Northern Lights, one has to get away from the lights of the city; if you try to look out your window and you live in the city or near one, you probably won't see the Lights because the lights from the city are too bright. You also need to have a clear, star-lit sky; you can't see the Lights if it is cloudy outside! LOL
When we see the Lights, we go to our backyard, and we go towards the woods; there isn't much light there; and we watch the Lights that way. Of course, when we DO this, we look to the north; you can't see the Northern Lights if you look south, east, OR west!
I also like to look up information about the Northern Lights on the Internet; there are many good sites (Spaceweather.Com is one) that has information regarding the Lights and also pictures. I also love to look at pictures of the Lights in books and on TV, and I like to try to draw them (but I can't do them any justice in comparison to the real thing!). I also like to pretend to dance when I see the Lights; and I pretend that I am a dancer, and the Lights are my audience. When they change colors, that is when they are applauding me. And it always makes me feel good.
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Reviewed by Nathan Hess
5/30/2004
Really liked it karen, especially the third paragraph. Fine prose. Like the Lights your words danced like curtains. Brava.
Sincerely typed,
Nathan
Reviewed by Simon Thurlow
2/3/2004
I live to far South to have ever seen them. Find it fascinating to see them described
Reviewed by Kate Clifford
1/27/2004
Since I am moving north I'll be seeing a lot more of the northern lights in the near future. While living in Grande Cache, AB I came across a book written by one of the natives in a village nearby. The story was their version of what causes the northern lights. Unfortuntly I cannot remember it too well. Also when I was very small I recall reading/or finding some information through a story about them......whatever you do....don't whistle when you see them! Don't remember the details of why not, except I believe it is through the tale that I read.....the Northern lights will pick you up and you will never be seen again. Doubt if there is any truth to that but all tales begin from a source and it would be interesting to find out what that source is :-) Thanks for the wonderful sharing. I wish I had my daughter memories. She has photo graphic memory...I have short term memory problems ;-(
A book of nature inspired poems and essays, written from the heart and soul of a life-long nature, animal, and wilderness lover, and dedicated to today’s children - Earth's only hope for a better tomorrow.
This book won 'The Poetry Category'
Explore the mystery of how nature makes unexpected gifts of creative wonders to an unsuspecting caregiver one late night and early morning in southeastern Georgia, USA.
Have you ever seen the Northern Lights?
