Aurora borealis

Thanks to TB, who called me from my Greek-translating stupor, I got to witness a stunning display of the borthern lights [or northern dawn, if you're going for a literal translation]. It was baffling and wonderful and amazing. Shortly after I went outside into the chilly night, TB's parents called and told him that they could see it at home - about 250 miles southwest of here. I, being the good daughter that I am, called my dad so that he could check it out, too. I don't know that he did, of course, but he's usually interested in astronomical phenomena, so I thought I'd give him a heads-up.

I did a quick search for the conditions needed to see Aurora borealis, since I couldn't remember them from astronomy last fall. The National Weather Service came up with this, which explains that it is caused by the solar wind coming in contact with the Earth's magnetic field, causing it to glow. It's usually seen between the latitudes of 55 and 80 north, but Decorah's a whopping 43.32 and Winterset's 41.35.

It's amazing, and not usually something you see this far south. [This is the second time I can recall seeing the lights - the last was when I was in 5th grade or so, back in Winterset, which, as I said, is much farther south than Decorah.] ES told me that tonight was the first time she'd seen them ever, and she's from much farther north, in Minnesota. Brilliant.

Such beauty can certainly put things in perspective.