Why Were There Northern Lights in California?

In recent years, people across California and throughout the United States have witnessed the Northern Lights. This presentation will explore where, when, and why the different types of Northern Lights and their southern counterpart, the Southern Lights - collectively known as the aurora - appear and how they vary. The science will be woven together with stories from the presenter’s own adventures observing and studying the aurora. She will answer many common questions about the aurora such as: Why did we see auroras in California? Will we see them again soon? Where and when can we reliably see auroras? How are common explanations of the aurora incorrect? What phenomena can be mistaken for auroras? And why do auroras look different in photographs than they do when viewed with our own eyes?

Speaker: Laura Peticolas, Sonoma State University

Attend in person or watch on Zoom