Aurora Borealis was visible to Pennsylvania residents across the entire state on an October evening.
On Thursday night, people across the state of Pennsylvania flocked to the outdoors to see the northern lights put on a show that is typically only visible in the United States from Alaska.
From Pittsburgh to State College, to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania residents posted photos of the impressive sight on social media.
But why are the northern lights suddenly visible across multiple states?
A geomagnetic storm watch was issued in Pennsylvania this week. The storm caused the northern lights across Pennsylvania skies.
Pennsylvania fell between 7 and 9 on the K index, which reflects the magnitude of a geomagnetic storm. The number 7 reflects a “strong” magnitude, while 9 is considered an “extreme” magnitude.
One X user described the light show as leaving him “speechless”, and posted a timelapse of the sky from Nazareth, Pennsylvania.
Another user said the lights peaked for 15 to 20 minutes in Easton, Pennsylvania.
Many people used cameras to capture the beauty of the lights overhead, including those above Erie.
The event shocked Pennsylvanians, many of whom feel lucky to see the northern lights from their backyard rather than on an expensive vacation.
