The 1859 Carrington Event

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On September 3, 1859 the Memphis Tennessee Daily Appeal noted a most startling event. “On Thursday night last, about 12 o clock, the heavens were suddenly lit up as with a half dozen moons.” The lights were the aurora borealis, although you can hardly fault people from the American South for not recognizing the northern lights. And while the people of Memphis might have been overawed, the article gives no indication that they truly knew how extraordinary the event was, nor its connection to the sun.
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This is original content based on research by The History Guy. Images in the Public Domain are carefully selected and provide illustration. As very few images of the actual event are available in the Public Domain, images of similar objects and events are used for illustration.
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All events are portrayed in historical context and for educational purposes. No images or content are primarily intended to shock and disgust. Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it. Non censuram.
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Script by THG
#history #thehistoryguy #Sun

[@aerosolprophet]

Who else is watching during the G5 storm 😂

[@Mersades1977]

Meeee

[@retaminoevaer]

Mee

[@kamakaziozzie3038]

Happened here randomly

[@navret1707]

When I was stationed in Iceland I got to see the Aurora Borealis one evening. A picture does not do them Justice. Those green, pulsing sheets of light are absolutely beautiful. I was standing in knee deep snow and just stared.

[@stanstenson8168]

I was on the Connie when we went to Alaska about '86ish. We were running pretty much blacked out at night. Same thing, we got some great shows on that trip.

[@whome4642]

I saw them in northern Michigan one time. The entire sky turned red. I just stood there in the cold and stared in awe.

[@gregcorwin8316]

I was stationed at Keflavik from 1977-1979, and still remember the Aurora's. There are no words to adequately describe just how amazing they were.

[@dewiz9596]

I live at roughly 45° North. As a youngster in the 1950s, watching the Northern Lights was quite a common thing. They are probably still there, but the Light Pollution of our modern society washes them out.

[@demonmonsterdave]

Cold feet?

[@cliff567]

I am an old electrician that learned of the Carrington Event in the mid 1960's. You taught me many things I did not know before viewing this video at 70+ years old. Thank you.

[@laslentejuelassv]

Who's here after tonight's storm?

[@cafiend]

In March, 1989, the aurora was strong enough to reach Texas over three nights. In New Hampshire, where I live, the display extended all the way overhead and down to the south, rather than the usual horizon display that usually pleases us. The first night, I stepped out of my house to walk the dog and thought at first that the forest was on fire. Walking out into the nearby field I saw the full extent of it. The next night I stood out in the field and looked straight up into the undulating drapery.

[@williamlong8859]

That would have been the one that shut down Quebec hydro-electric grid to collapse. Had to be an amazing sight, even at 3 times smaller than the Carrington event.

[@ut000bs]

I was at NAS Whidbey Island in Washington state working the night shift during that event. We were all out on the line watching the aurora. Even above 48 deg North it is rare to see it here. It wasn't real bright but plainly visible and looked like it was slowly moving like a curtain in a slight air. Full of that "creepy green light".

[@privatedetective6516]

I saw this while on maneuvers at Fort Riley Kansas. We didn't know what in the hell was going on!

[@craigsheffield6546]

I was watching that one (in Wisconsin). I first noticed it within a city, I then went away from city lights to a lookout point facing north. I had a CB radio at the time. I turned it on, and it was buzzing with every pulse of light. Even in Wisconsin, I have seen the Aurora many times, but the 1989 event was one of the few that I really remember.

[@debbiecurtis4021]

Check out the film FREQUENCY.

[@johncashwell1024]

Back at Christmas 2004, my dad and I had just landed at RDU, in Raleigh, NC, and we were driving home when saw a bright greenish light in the northern sky. It turned out to be the Aurora B. in a rare southern display. At that latitude it was still bright but only green was displaying and it did not "dance" across the sky, just moved, brightened and faded very slowly. It was an amazing sight and later it was confirmed.

[@eugenetswong]

My first experience was in the middle of Alberta. It was such a dim hazy grey, that I assumed that we were looking at a reflection of moonlight off of night clouds.

[@Junkinsally]

@@aivehn -Please stop quoting that conspiracy theorist.

[@DamonNomad82]

I have only seen the Aurora Borealis once. I was on a plane from the US to Germany, and happened to be sitting in a window seat on the north-facing side of the plane as it reached the apex of its "great circle" route just south of the tip of Greenland. I couldn't take my eyes off the lights for the time they were visible, and it remains one of my favorite memories.

[@edrobbins1146]

I love your show. You are absolutely the right person to narrate and so professional about everything. You sir along with your wife are definitely making history fun.

[@TheHistoryGuyChannel]

Thank you. Sadly, Heidi and I are no longer together, and she is not involved in the channel.

[@allenvaughan1]

@@TheHistoryGuyChannel Still, you do wonderful work! When I sell my house (very soon, I hope!) I want to send some money your way to help you in this effort.

[@goodun2974]

@@TheHistoryGuyChannel, sorry to hear that. I hope you were able to work out custody and visitation rights that work for everyone ---- and this includes the cats.

[@jons2447]

@@TheHistoryGuyChannel Sorry to hear about that. Hope you both are OK.

[@bobjohnson8970]

@@TheHistoryGuyChannel Genuinely sorry to hear that.

[@martinmckee5333]

I used to volunteer at a space museum and the Carrington Event was one of my favorite things to tell people about. It's one of the only things in space that touched us here on Earth in quite so direct a way.

[@Rhaspun]

That and the Tunguska event in Russia back in 1908.

[@martinmckee5333]

@@Rhaspun Yes. Tunguska and the Chelyabinsk meteor (much smaller, but there's lots of video) are some other really cool examples.

[@Maoli2013]

It is so delightful to read all the wonderful comments about people's different experiences with the Aurora Borealis/Northern Lights. I was stationed at Fort Greeley, Alaska back in the mid 70's. I saw the "lights" often but my most vivid memory is the time I was on Guard Duty on Christmas Night walking around an ammo dump at 25-30 below zero. The Sergeant of the Guard would come and check on us every 15 minutes in his heated jeep with hot coffee. We had Vapor Barrier boots and arctic gear to keep us from freezing to death. Being a Native Hawaiian from Hawaii I was totally amazed at the light show. It was like God had a paint brush and was painting the night sky. I saw it again when I was stationed at Keflavik, Iceland (NAVFAC) in the 80's. Lifetime memories. Thank you, sir for sharing this story and rekindling distant memories.

[@helveticaman204]

I remember the the G3 event that happened in the fall of 1989. I was working on a ranch in northern Nebraska...very desolate and dark. The Aurora's "curtains of light" were directly overhead and further at times. It was the most incredible natural show I've seen, although the total eclipse just a few years ago was pretty spectacular as well. Thanks HG for reigniting a great memory.

[@johnasbury9915]

Mobile Globe is one of the coolest things I’ve ever seen. Thanks for introducing it to me! Have a Happy Holidays!

[@taraking7382]

I saw the green glow in 1989 in ARKANSAS ONE CLEAR NIGHT NEVER WILL FORGET IT ,

[@JacobMcandles]

“One second after” is a great book to read on this subject... horrifying but great.

[@flagmichael]

"One Second After" is about EMP, a very different thing. Much of the world is not vulnerable to the effects of CMEs; here in Arizona there are no electric transmission lines susceptible to CMEs.

[@mauricedavis2160]

Absolutely fascinating, big science fan and a even bigger fan of your excellent channel!!!🙏👍👻

[@MichaelBraid-xf3dw]

Looks like we will have one very soon G5

[@cyrillsabayco8421]

I'm here coz someone said it will happen in 2024.

[@helenel4126]

We're approaching the solar maximum of the Sun's 11 year cycle. That maximum will begin in 2024. There's no evidence, however, that an event as large as that witnessed by Carrington will occur during this period.

[@rapcreeperproductions3269]

Same

[@EllieMandyArt]

Oof. Now I’m waiting

[@brianjohnson5272]

Wasnt wrong

[@metalheadblues]

It did but wasn't as significant but its not over yet

[@thenecromancer01]

An element of the History Guy's delivery that I've developed a subtle appreciation for is his near constant dramatic pauses. It's like having William Shatner narrating a documentary. It's easy to make fun of, but admirable nontheless. It takes skill not to rush a performance, and to deliver each fraction of a line like it's the most important of the entire video.

[@jokuvaan5175]

I did a small thesis on solar flare effects on power grids years ago and the conclusions were as follows: The countries near poles like Nordics and Canada already have protections against geomagnetic storms due to having to deal with them regularly. However more souther countries like Italy wouöd be pretty screwed. Also the EU and I think USA have made risk assessments on geomagnrtic storms and I think at least EU implemented some laws requiring member state grid companies to add some protection mechanisms. But in the end, it is very difficult to asses how much damage Carington event like geomagnetic storm could cause in power grids around the world because a large event like that has never taken place during the existence of the electric grid.

[@NihongoGuy]

We also provide lightning protection far beyond what was in place in 1859. The public assumes that grid operators are clueless, which is not the case. The public is clueless.

[@celtspeaksgoth7251]

The EU would punish the sun by imposing some sort of fine and placing sanctions on the import of sunflower seeds.

[@josephcernansky1794]

wait till the magnetosphere is displaced during the reversal.....there won't be a single electrical device working anywhere on Earth....modern civilization will cease. The radiation exposure to humans and many animals will be intense. I expect a mass extinction of species but mostly of humans. Anybody in cities will be totally helpless and survival will be more Mad Max than science fiction.

[@josephcernansky1794]

@@NihongoGuy yes, they are clueless because they follow the Leftist Wokey Pokey "manmade" climate change religion and react to whatever the High Priests of the Climate Change Religion tell them to. And that INCLUDES many "engineers' and "scientists" today who have no idea what the Scientific Method is. I actually hope I am still alive to witness The Reversal, just to see are the destruction of modern civilization and the extinction of the human race.....We need a good restart anyway! LOL And YES, grid operators are CLUELESS!! There is NO protection of anything electrical once the magnetosphere is displaced.

[@KathySarich]

The steadily weakening magnetic field means that a big enough storm, possibly much weaker than even the Carington event, could possibly take out the more hardened power grids as well.

[@Hullj]

Thank you. I admire the way you educate yourself sufficiently on disparate topics so that you can teach them to us no matter what we are bringing to the class. This was unusually cool. I've seen in Aurora once and it scared to hell out of me because I was camping and got up in the middle of the night to do what people do when they get up in the middle of the night and the sky was on fire. So I woke my camping buddy up and told her that I didn't need to see this alone. So I enjoy the explanation and I really relate to the experience the viewers had. Please don't ever stop doing this.

[@elsiestormont1366]

I live in Fairbanks, Alaska where the Aurora is regularly visible. The University of Alaska Fairbanks is a leader in Aurora research. Your overview of the event and explanation of the phenomenon is excellent. Makes me more appreciative of the ease in which I can enjoy the "everyday" versions of the event. If ever you visit Alaska, don't neglect to come north to Fairbanks and pay a visit to our Geophysical institute at UAF.

[@StevenEveral]

I remember there was a similar event in the summer of 1998. I was delivering newspapers in a suburb at that time, and while most nights I needed a flashlight to get around, the Aurora was so bright that I didn't need my flashlight for a few nights.

[@punditgi]

Each of these videos is like the Carrington event: a burst of brightness illuminating everything! 😁

[@garygrant9612]

I was a boy scout many years ago in upstate NY. At an outside troop meeting a cloud appeared that was in a couple different colors. It was observed moving toward us slowly and went over our heads. It only seemed to be acouple hundred feey above us we all felt maybe the world was ending but we didn't panic and was just mezmerized. Within 5 or10 minutes it disappeard

[@johnchristopher20]

Great timing!

[@marricktryathia3464]

I love your channel. You tell story so well you keep me coming back for more. Note your sun looks like it has eyes from the reelections of your lighting setup and when the swirls are just right it looks like it is smiling. Great channel!

[@HM2SGT]

I just want to say that I'm watching this on my 46 inch plasma television and it looks spectacular!

[@evanrandall1675]

I really love that Starry Night globe! I can already stare at that painting forever

[@dennishice2128]

Thanks really enjoyed learning about the Carrington event.

[@E5PY]

So excited you covered this one! You truly have a diversity of range in your history. Thank you♡

[@bcd5024]

Thanks for doing such an excellent job telling the history of my favorite astronomical event! Fine work as always!

[@SusanWojcickiTheBolshevik]

Electromagnetic pulse of an unprecedented level.

[@flagmichael]

Rather different; Not a pulse but a flood. It would play Hob with medium frequency radio (like the AM band) propagation but most would still work okay; today we rely heavily on line of sight bands. Satellite communication would probably fare badly for the duration. Cars would not notice the difference, and if you have a portable generator it would work except possibly in a few unfortunate areas. EMPs do lasting damage; CMEs only damage a few things while messing up other things for a while... hours or days.

[@richardcharay7788]

Always enjoy your videos.

[@DaveDaDeerslayer]

I was in upstate NY in 89. Super bright aurora, weird, snow on the ground. Everything was bright green.

[@penelopegreene]

Most important event you need to know that no one talks about.

[@thetman0068]

“Seymour! The telegraph is on fire!!” “No, mother, it’s just the northern lights.”

[@coltonregal1797]

This comment deserves more likes.

[@thetman0068]

@@coltonregal1797 Thank you.

[@leslienordman8718]

Great episode! Thanks for this!

[@brucekaren6693]

If one of these happened today we’d be back to 1859 in an instant.

[@demonmonsterdave]

Every 126 years is the schedule. Get ready.

[@minetogiveaway]

@@demonmonsterdave did we have one in 1985 then?

[@donnied9432]

There was one in 2011 bigger and "something" stopped it from hitting the earth. Look it up. David Adair knows about it.

[@FasterLower]

Probably worse. How habitable would Chicago (or other Northern cities) be in winter without electrical power for 3 months? In 1859 I'd guess they would have had open fires or stoves to keep warm! Rural areas would be better off as they are more resilient to infrastructure outages (as they occur more frequently - I live in the country and power outages are not rare events!).

[@demonmonsterdave]

@@minetogiveaway You are not intelligent enough for this discussion.

[@Eric_Hutton.1980]

Thank you The History Guy. Hope you and your family have a great good Thanksgiving. Happy Thanksgiving to everyone else as well.

[@terryrussel3369]

We had a red ski in FLORIDA in the ?early 1990's. Everyone thought it was another wildfire until NASA was consulted.

[@shakehandswithdanger7882]

I've been waiting for you to do the Carrington event for years, nice

[@angelhelp777]

From our family to yours, we wish you a happy and blessed Thanksgiving!

[@jamesburnett7085]

Such a BEAUTIFUL presentation! What a vivid example of dangerous things resulting in great beauty.

[@suetrunnell9524]

Wonderful explanation

[@nancymac2445]

I always learn something from your videos, THG! Thank you for bringing us fun and fascinating topics. I didn't know about the Carrington Event, so I'm a little smarter today than yesterday. Also, I very much appreciate your excellent use of the English language (I'm a bit of a grammar geek).

[@JillWhitcomb1966]

Here in North Dakota (USA) we can see the Aurora Borealis, and her pretty colors, from our own backyards. It is amazing, always.

[@AsianManZan]

Hello from minot! Working nights I get to witness these often, sometimes they’re so bright it’s like the sun came back up!

[@regenesteffen2814]

I saw them once after Midnight mass Christmas Eve in SE ND

[@redneckextraordinaire3073]

Thank you for covering this event. I've known about the Carrington Event for decades but strangely this is rarely discussed, and I wonder why, knowing how fragile world wide grid systems are. Well done!

[@jackschwartz1783]

Are you a Suspicious0bserver? I've been following Ben since 2012. He has a quite informative channel. Also, the reply above me is likely just a Troll messing with you and is NOT the History guy. Take Care All

[@gsdalpha1358]

@@jackschwartz1783 Hello, fellow S0!

[@Eyes0penNoFear]

@@gsdalpha1358 eyes open, no fear

[@starmnsixty1209]

You likely answered your own question there.

[@reverseuniverse2559]

There’s dozens of videos on it

[@BSC29PalmsYG]

Thank you for sharing this

[@stephenmorton8017]

thanks for bringing the history of this amazing event to light. this is by far the most comprehensive illumination i have seen of it. it's just staggering that two men on earth witnessed such a rare transient.

[@HM2SGT]

Good morning classmates! Happy Thanksgiving. _(Happy HallowThanksMas)_

[@markfinlay422]

I love the channel and enjoy when my knowledge intersects with the topic being discussed. The impact on modern society of an event like this would be very significant- to say the least!

[@johnschofield3418]

back to the stone age

[@kevinhorne7881]

Another fascinating episode!

[@markrichards9646]

Mr. History Guy, thank you for all these wonderful videos. Beautiful narration, dare I say perfectly executed. We are all in your debt.

[@rebelscumspeedshop8677]

The first time I saw the Arora's I was driving home late at night. I thought I was hallucinating as wisps of light darted in-between the gaps of trees and the highway.. simply amazing

[@Mozark-yu7sn]

Yo you were abducted and probed 😮

[@joesguiltyguitar]

History told right on KZbin.. thanks history Guy

[@joesguiltyguitar]

WOW!!! Those globes cost too much but I want one 😢

[@KiraVonConcrete]

I love your work! Thank you!

[@miked0602]

Thank you for this great educational video on solar events. Had my 68 year old mother put her phone, ya know, social media away in order to listen and see everything you shared. To see her get into something like this amazed me and I have to thank you again. Subscribing and showing her more we the l this year continues

[@constipatedinsincity4424]

Hey History Guy 👋 🤓may you your family and my fellow Classmates have a joyous holiday. May tryptophan run 🏃‍♂️ rampant throughout your homes. Most of all may everyone can find something to be truly Thankful for !

[@stevedietrich8936]

What an illuminating episode. Thanks THG.

[@walpolescrew]

I see what ya did there…

[@haroldjedrzejczyk9449]

Yes, brilliant and enlightening, too...💥

[@walpolescrew]

You guys are pretty bright.

[@michaelajones2853]

911 comments, 13k views. Who is here from the Northern Lights-solar storm news/videos to learn more about Carrington event? All the best!😊

[@pamelamays4186]

Thank you for this enlightening video "Professor" H.G.

[@trevinbeattie4888]

I love the animations in this video, particularly those showing the layers of atmosphere around the Earth. 🤩 Although I was aware of the Carrington Event from other science-oriented KZbinrs, I was happy to see a video that looks at the event from a more human impact and history perspective, and you exceeded my expectations. Thank you!

[@jackschwartz1783]

If this kind of material interests you, you ,may want to check out a youtuber named Suspicious0bservers . He gives daily reports on what the sun is doing and how that affects the planet. You'll get more honest, truthful reports than you'll get from anywhere else. Take Care All

[@virt1one]

ah but did you notice Mercury transiting the sun when he shows the sun animation?

[@nathnathn]

Its noted that with the early telegraph systems some worked while unpowered and some caught fire during the carington event.

[@flagmichael]

For cost reasons, telegraph lines were a single wire, using the Earth as a return. Ground is not Ground the world around!

[@NavigatEric]

History Guy, you make outstanding videos.

[@davegoldspink5354]

Absolutely brilliant story History Guy thanks so much for sharing it. 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[@1p6t1gms]

Those are about the coolest globes I have seen in my life.

[@JWalker6541]

Great video! Very informative... Would love to see you do a video on the spectacular 1833 Leonid meteor shower that caused similar wonder, anxiety, and bewilderment! (If you haven't already....)

[@johndavis9432]

Another triumph Lance!! You always entertain,surprise and educate with your videos,Great Job!!

[@fredsanford9224]

Thank you History Guy

[@ShowCat1]

I am always amazed at the power of the bow tie.

[@InglouriousBradsterd]

I love The History Guy!

[@Clownworldmatrixviewer]

Such a great channel! 👏🏼👏🏼‼️

[@xvsj5833]

Happy Thanksgiving THG and family ❤❤❤

[@InspectorGadget923]

I'm well versed in the Carrington event already, but it's nice to hear about it from my favorite historian.

[@Chris_at_Home]

I worked for a company where we talked about this and monitored the current on the company’s subsea fiber optic cables. This was graphed and it was interesting to watch.

[@jackschwartz1783]

Suspicious0bserver??

[@coreys2686]

Extra bit from that article about increased carbon-14: The event in 774 is one of six that showed a massive increase in the amount of C14 in the atmosphere. The Carrington Event doesn't even register.

[@mikemodugno5879]

Awesome video. Happy Thanksgiving.

[@comentedonakeyboard]

A piece of History that defiitely deserves to be remembered. After all eventualy it WILL repeat itself.

[@dewiz9596]

I’m not a “prepped”, but I keep my bicycle tires pumped 😊

[@Mersades1977]

That's definitely "prepared"

[@martykitson3442]

interesting topic, as a ham(kl4gu) we watch solar activity and the interaction between solar activity and radio service and the Carrington event is legend

[@flagmichael]

HF propagation was always the realm of gurus; I was mostly 40 meter CW and never quite got the hang of predicting how propagation would be that night.

[@bethbartlett5692]

*The Memphis Newspaper became "the Commercial Appeal", and continues today.* Alumni, University of Memphis, enjoying the Mississippi River and Delta Forest right now. My son lives in Shelby Forest, Shelby Forest State Park.

[@roberttalbot1658]

Terrific show.

[@korbell1089]

"Some believed the end of the World had arrived." I was waiting for that statement.😅 Everyone needs to put viewing the Northern Lights on their bucket list, they are absolutely awe inspiring.

[@goodun2974]

I have always hoped to see the northern lights but despite my time in Canada I was never that lucky.

[@viator21]

Go to Iceland in January, you will not be disappointed! True beauty…

[@jameshiggins-thomas9617]

Perhaps the eeriest part of this episode is that I was scrolling through my list of items of interest at these globes just before watching the video. Of course that resulted in Google showing me ads promptly, but it was a bit of a surprise to see one on your desk as this video started 😂 PS enjoyed the actual presentation

[@amandajones661]

Wow!!! This is so interesting!

[@imir8atu321]

Well done 👏

[@smit1000]

Could be happening now!

[@Zogerpogger]

There are some things that were better about living in those times, the ability to have an observatory in your house without dealing with light pollution is a big one.

[@flagmichael]

Here in Flagstaff, a dark sky city for half a century, I can walk outside and see the Milky Way plainly anytime the sky is clear.

[@trob0914]

I grew up in Fairbanks, AK. and witnessed some pretty awesome "A-B"displays yearly, mostly in the winter months. Thanks for this story!!

[@samhianblackmoon]

This channel is so good

[@michaelstorm8578]

The northern lights were visible during the battle of Frederiksberg in Virginia in 1862. That must have been a powerful flare also.

[@sujimtangerines]

Aurora lights1863 visible in NYC as bright as prior years, and again in 1864 VA. Makes me wonder if there's some sort of repeat cycle? Not the established 11yr cycle etc. But one that repeats yearly? (Which, if there is even a slight chance of 5 consecutive CME events, should be considered when planning recovery/rebuilding) or if that location in space became an overcharged pocket. (The solar winds should have dispersed it though?) Now I feel the urge to go look up Carringtons observations after 1859...

[@vbscript2]

@@sujimtangerines Rather than an annual cycle, it seems more likely to be a much longer-term one with the events from 1859-1864 being part of the same peak. If there were a major annual cycle large enough to consistently produce aurora in the South, we'd be well aware of it by now. Most of us in the South have never seen the aurora before. The only times I've seen it were in Fairbanks and then only relatively faintly. I did manage to get a few decent pictures, though, as I had my camera set up for it and a tripod ready. It's very likely that there are longer-term cycles that are poorly understood or just completely unknown at this point, due to the relatively short period of Earth's history where we've had the equipment to monitor and accurately record solar activity (or were even aware of the existence of solar flares, for that matter.) It's not unlikely that some of these cycles have had a significant role in long-term climate changes on Earth.

[@creeib]

If you are in Iceland, and wish to photograph these events. Be sure to keep your camera batteries warm.

[@LuvBorderCollies]

Buy quality name lithium batteries. They don't go dead so fast in the cold and they don't leak corrosion. Any rate keep extras inside your coat close to your body for the warmth.

[@BasicDrumming]

Great video.

[@andyharman3022]

I always think it's been a good day if I learn something new. I've been having a lot of good days since I started watching History Guy. Reality is so much more amazing than fantasy, if you understand the phenomena you're seeing.

[@melissafoster9701]

I'm prepared off grid

[@sujimtangerines]

This is my MILs only bucket list item and we are researching the best, most likely to see them, locations & travel options right now. She's pushing 75 & we're going to take her in 23 or 24, even if we have to mortgage everything or take 10 years to pay it off. I just fear whatever option I choose end up being the nights there's no Aurora visible. Just in case, I'm trying to fill the days on either side of the cruise - or on Svalbard as a Swedish friend suggested - with other once in a lifetime experiences. (We may be lower middle class Americans, but our family tenet is that the only 2 things in life worth spending big money on are travel & education. Would love to combine the two parts of that.) So any suggestions on the best, most reliable AB viewing locations and Don't Miss events, museums, experiences, restaurants etc in the European North Atlantic area are greatly appreciated!

[@AsianManZan]

Come to North Dakota! We have them quite often.

[@lyndsayms]

LOVE my Mova globes!!

[@stanstenson8168]

Have a great Thanksgiving Lance.

[@bobair2]

I think that I.K. Brunel was still alive at the time of this event and if he were-I hope he saw it. Great video as always and thank you sir!

[@dickJohnsonpeter]

I'm a huge fan of Isambard Kingdom Burnell, his father, and all the other great Victorian engineers. It is interesting to think that he could have seen this. Or maybe Stevenson and others.

[@talkingmudcrab718]

**puts on physicist hat** Actually it's a ball of plasma, not gas.

[@michaelberes6660]

I'm lucky enough to have witnessed the Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) one summer evening in the northern skies of southern New Jersey in 1990. I don't need a selfie as the images are seared into my memory. Never saw them again.

[@justinweaver8787]

Happy thanksgiving sir.

[@stevedietrich8936]

On a visit to Kitt Peak observatory a few years ago they had a telescope set up for the public to view the sun, with a special filter of course. You could clearly see the solar prominences (flares). If I recall correctly the staff person said that the height of the prominences was roughly 50 times the diameter of the Earth.

[@flagmichael]

My wife and I and a few leaders took a Cub Scout den to Kitt Peak in February. The solar telescope was out of service because of the skies and the wind was intense. I think you chose more wisely.

[@HarryWHill-GA]

As a boy in the 60s I remember seeing the Aurora Borealis from eastern North Carolina. That must have been some solar storm.