A different kind of storm

After a winter that brought seemingly endless blizzards, we'd be forgiven for feeling glum at news of yet another squall. Sunday, however, brought a different kind of storm to the northern portion of the United States – a much more beautiful one.

In this area, columns of light pulsed and danced as the day dwindled towards midnight, moving upwards towards a vast swirl overhead. The colors may have been less vivid than for skywatchers further north, but the aurora borealis was very much visible to the naked eye.

The display was caused by a severe geomagnetic storm. These occur when solar materia...