upper waypoint

See How the Northern Lights Lit Up the Bay Area This Weekend

Save ArticleSave Article
Failed to save article

Please try again

A view of the northern lights over the Bay Bridge on May 10, 2024. (Shreenivasan Manievannan)

This weekend, many Bay Area residents caught a glimpse of the pinkish, purple glow of the aurora borealis illuminating the night skies — thanks to a powerful solar storm.

Images of the northern lights lit up social media, which experts had cautioned might not be visible everywhere. “The redder the color over a state or province, the more likely auroras will be visible. The greener the color, the less likely they will be visible,” said Andrew Fraknoi, astronomer and professor at the University of San Francisco’s Fromm Institute and the OLLI Program at SF State.

This was the strongest such solar storm seen in over 20 years. But if you were one of the many people who missed the light show this time around, don’t worry. “The next year or so will be a good time for space weather fans,” Fraknoi said.

Here’s a roundup of some of those stunning moments around the Bay Area.

Northern lights captured above Rat Rock, China Camp State Park. (Shreenivasan Manievannan)
A view of the northern lights in Sonoma County on May 10, 2024. (Shreenivasan Manievannan)
The northern lights (aurora borealis) illuminate the sky of San Francisco North Bay as seen from China Camp Beach in San Rafael, California, on May 11, 2024. (Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Northern lights above a red jeep in Sonoma County on May 10, 2024. (punksworld on Instagram)
Northern lights in Pacifica on May 10, 2024. (weekendwanderersinc on Instagram)
Northern lights seen in Pacifica. (sooshroot on Instagram)
Northern lights seen above houses in Dublin. (Chakri)
Northern lights seen in Milpitas. (_DigitalHunk_ on Reddit)
Northern lights captured off Pine Flat Road in Healdsburg, Sonoma County. (Reed Maidenberg )

Sponsored

 

lower waypoint
next waypoint