Saw it!

I actually saw the Northern Lights last night. And it was a total fluke. We were watching "The Sing Off". I really wasn't in the mood to look for satellites, but I also new it was super clear that evening. I had gone out around 8pm but nothing was going on then, at least none that I noticed. About 9:30pm, during a commercial break, I decided I'd go out quickly to see if I could spot a satellite just for kicks. I went outside and saw the 'red clouds' in the sky in the north. I called the wife out and she saw them as well. I thought it was pretty cool. At that time, I wasn't sure that it was the Northern Lights (as most of the time people assume they are green, not bright red), but I knew it was something very special. I confirmed my suspition when I read it on the NBC 4 webpage (and various other places).

By 9:40, they were gone (or at least were taking a break.

I remember my dad saying that he once saw the Northern Lights in Ohio when he was growing up. I assumed it would not ever see them, honestly. Certainly not in Ohio with all the stupid light pollution we have everywhere. Well, surprise surprise! I've seen them! I think this was on my bucket list I created a LONG time ago. I'll have to dig that thing up and cross something off that list. The last time I found it, I was able to cross off 'get married' and 'have children'.

Here's the NBC 4 article about it

My favorite fact from the article:
"The red glow is very rare, according to UniverseToday.com. The site says it is produced by the interactions of oxygen atoms more than 200 miles above the earth's surface." Not only did I see something rare by seeing them in Ohio, I saw RED which is pretty freaking rare itself. AWESOME!!!

Here's aabout what I saw (per the photo taken by Jim Kolb in Newark, OH)