November Northern Lights

 South Dakota and states as far south as Arizona (a friend sent a photo) were treated to another awesome Northern Lights display on November 11th, the night before the deck was demolished!

Here are some of my photos beginning at 7:31 and ending at 8:38 PM.

All the photos are from the deck of the condo using my iPhone without any editing. I did some research and wanted to try some features in the camera mode, but did not get the chance the next night. The guys working on the deck had placed some plywood on the runners so I could step out safely, but the light display just wasn't there on November 12th. I feel so fortunate to have seen such a magnificent display twice in the same year!

Aurora Borealis

 Aurora Borealis is a natural light display in Earth's sky, predominantly seen in high-latitude regions (around the Arctic and Antarctic). Auroras display dynamic patterns of brilliant lights that appear as curtains, rays, spirals, or dynamic flickers covering the entire sky. ~Wikipedia

In the last year I have been on a hunt to see Northern Lights and Southern Lights, traveling to Iceland in the hopes of a glimpse of the colorful flickering bands of light and even to New Zealand because they have been known to make an appearance there in March. But it was looking up at the sky on the deck of our home in Sioux Falls that gave me the most amazing show this week.

8:55 PM on 10/10/24

looking northeast 9:01 PM 10/10/24

overhead 9:04 PM on 10/10/24

overhead 9:05 PM on 10/10/24

northwest 9:15 PM on 10/10/24

overhead 9:16 PM on 10/10/24

9:16 PM on 10/10/24

north/northeast 9:17 on 10/10/24

overhead 9:18 PM on 10/10/24

orange color at 9:20 PM on 10/10/24

pink color 9:20 PM on 10/10/24

and back to orange 9:20 PM on 10/10/24

finale 9:27 PM on 10/10/24

I follow a group on Facebook and this chart was posted this week sharing why we see the colors we see.

It's due to the levels of oxygen and nitrogen charged particles in the magnetospheric plasma. 

I also read somewhere this week that the chances of seeing the Northern Lights in our location (and even in Arizona at our winter home) happen every 11 years. I don't know if that is true, but I certainly have enjoyed the opportunities that have presented themselves in 2024.

I also had a brief glimpse of the Northern Lights on Monday night while I was staying at my mother's house in Pollock. I got a ping (push) on my phone that seeing the lights in my current area was a possibility. "Keep your eyes on the sky." I went outside at 9:15 PM but did not see anything. Then I saw all the Facebook photos and thought Dang! I missed them again.

I crawled into bed at midnight and heard another phone ping at 12:25 AM. I grabbed a robe and my phone,  slipped on my shoes and stepped onto the front lawn and got this view:

12:29 AM on 10/07/24 

I don't think I had ever see such an intense red.

I grabbed my purse and got in the car and drove to the edge of town with a perfect, unlit view of the northern sky. I only saw the dancing green and yellow lights, so drove back to town. (12:33 AM)

12:50 AM 

time for bed and thankful for that ping!

May, also Condensed

 Grandkid sports and school activities continued most of May.

Miss W had another and final volleyball competition, May 4

her team had a couple of close matches

7th & 8th grade Middle School Choir Festival, May 7

6 public Sioux Falls Middle Schools participated

about 250 students spent the day with a guest director from Nebraska

they did 'the wave' while waiting for their parents to arrive

Thankfully, Miss W told us where she was sitting so we could find her

May 10

Northern Lights photos from our deck

May 11

Northern Lights display from our deck

As many of you know we traveled to Iceland last fall in hopes of seeing Northern Lights as that was how the trip was promoted. We also know seeing a Northern Lights display is really a hit or miss -Mother Nature in control- opportunity. So seeing them that weekend in May, from our back deck, in the city, was AMAZING. 

Sixth Grade Spring Choir at Edison Middle School, May 14

The Inventions Show Choir also performed a number

M's soccer game, May 18

the wind was so strong

M's piano recital on our birthday, May 19

There was also book club discussion, lunch dates with friends, doctor appointments (regular, not anything new or unusual), dinner dates with friends, and Curt completed 35 EECP sessions for his cardiac disease. School is out. There are a couple more soccer games for M this week. We are all ready for the summer schedule to begin...