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Mainers sure have been spoiled by some out-of-this-world displays in the sky as of late. In an impressive, if less-expected second act to April’s total solar eclipse, many people in Maine and around the country were recently treated to a rare surge of the northern lights.
Courtesy of a strong solar storm, the aurora borealis dazzled viewers as far south as Florida. Mainers lucky enough to have clear skies on the night of May 10 and later that weekend were treated to the tourmaline skies and tremendous excitement that the northern lights radiate.
This could have been one of the strongest northern lights displays in the last 500 years, according to NASA.
“We’ll be studying this event for years,” said Teresa Nieves-Chinchilla, the acting director of NASA’s Moon to Mars Space Weather Analysis Office. “It will help us test the limits of our models and understanding of solar storms.
As opposed to the long standing pomp and planning that surrounded the eclipse, the recent dance with the northern lights likely felt much more impromptu for many viewers around the state. Sure, some people stay on top of the aurora forecasts and may have been preparing for the magic. But for many others, it was a quick glance outside or an excited text from a friend that alerted them in the moment that recent Friday night.
Robert Bukaty had a similar experience in Brunswick. He was half-asleep when his 15-year-old daughter, Béla, clued him in to the excitement. And selfishly, we’re glad she did, because her dad happens to be a longtime Associated Press photographer with a knack for capturing stirring images.
Bukaty’s photo of the northern lights over a Brunswick farmhouse — taken on his phone, interestingly enough — was quickly featured across many publications, including the Bangor Daily News.
“I think the photo works because the image is the combination of striking light and a simple, uncluttered composition,” Bukaty explained in a recent AP piece about the experience. “The aurora’s angled light draws the viewer’s eye to the quiet, rural home, while the dark landscape and sky frames the colorful display.”
We’re glad Bukaty got the photo. But more importantly, we’re glad that he got to share that experience with his daughter. As it was for many of those lucky enough to witness the northern lights and last month’s solar eclipse, the experience was as much about who you were seeing the sky’s magic with, not just what you were seeing.
“While I’m pleased with the photo, I’m even happier to witness my daughter’s excitement over the natural phenomenon,” Bukaty said.
“I’ve been wanting to see the northern lights since I was 3 years old,” his daughter added. Well, mission accomplished. And what a way to see them — for this daughter and father, and for many other people.
“It was the first time I’d seen anything like that in my life,” David Devoe told the Portland Press Herald. “I’ve been to Iceland and other places but never thought I’d see it here in Maine.”
We never thought so either, certainly not with the strength and brilliance seen with the recent solar storm. It was a sight to behold, even for those who caught some of the shorter and less intense displays. And more than anything, it was an experience to be shared with the other people lucky enough to see such a dazzling and surprising display of the northern lights.
