Tuesday, May 14, 2024

I didn't imagine seeing the Aurora Borealis as a child!

We were on Vancouver Island, May 10. 2024, when the G5 Aurora Borealis ocurred--and the top item on my bucket list finally was crossed off. It was absolutely magical.











I have long been haunted by a memory, and this event brought it back with even more urgency.
So I posted on FB:
"I have a childhood memory of being in the front yard one night with my parents, and looking north. (We lived in South County) There was green in the sky. This would have been sometime 1959-early 1960's, and I would not have been very old. I wish I could verify if there were actually northern lights in St. Louis then, or if I just dreamed this." 
My friend James Ahlberg responded,
I found reference to a 1958 auroral display that may be what you're thinking of. The reference referred to an article on the curious.astro.cornell.edu website titled, "Did I see the Aurora Borealis as a Child? (Beginner) - Curious About Astronomy? Ask an Astronomer" The reference I found quoted a part of the article as follows, "If you read further down the page it also turns out that you might be remembering the 1958 auroras, which were unusally active and (according to that site) are a source of childhood memories of many adults." Alas, my attempts to reach that website proved futile.
This gave me information to pursue a more specific google search, which turned up the following:
sdf

St. Louis Post-Dispatch from St. Louis, Missouri • Page 29

Location: St. Louis, Missouri
Issue Date:
Page: 29
<I Brilliant display of Aurora Borealis, the northern lights, over Kirkwood early today. The qreen and reddish glow reached maximum intensity last night shortly before 9 o'clock and also was discernible to early risers this morning.
Rarely seen this far south, the northern lights are caused by streams of particles shot out from the sun which are bent by the earth's magnetic field, resulting in shimmering arcs of luminosity. ly Litr Ltnck, Post-DHptkh Photognphtr>https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/139974780/

https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/139974780/

I would have been 4 years old.


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