PHOTOS: The ‘Northern Lights’ in Middle Tennessee

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Photo from Karin Moughler/Franklin

Did you see the aurora borealis (aka the “Northern Lights”) this weekend? In a rare event, middle Tennesseans were able to see this phenomenon. It occurred on Friday night and very early on Sunday morning in Tennessee but it seems it was much more clear on Friday night for middle Tennesseans.

What is it and what causes it to occur?

The “Northen Lights” are ribbons of blue, green and violet light. It occurs “when energized particles from the sun slam into Earth’s upper atmosphere at speeds of up to 45 million mph (72 million kph), but our planet’s magnetic field protects us from the onslaught” (space.com). Due to a geomagnetic storm, the Northern Lights were visible as far south as northern Alabama and Mississippi.

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