Did you see red in the sky over Fort Worth? Here’s why you witnessed the northern lights

Parts of North Texas saw a solar light show on Thursday night.

The colorful dancing lights known as the aurora borealis could be spotted in the sky and could be again on Friday, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Aurora borealis is usually visible in regions close to the Arctic Circle, such as parts of Canada and California. But during periods of heightened solar activity, such as a strong geomagnetic storm, the phenomenon can extend farther south.

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NOAA issued a G4-level watch warning of a major disturbance in the Earth’s magnetic field. The geomagnetic storm coincides with a “strong” solar radiation storm , NOAA said.

What are northern lights?

Auroras are caused by the activity of the sun.

The northern lights are created when energized particles from the sun slam into Earth’s upper atmosphere at speeds of up to 45 million mph.

According to NOAA , the sun’s particles collide with oxygen and nitrogen atoms in the Earth’s atmosphere.

Typically, aurora borealis form about 80 to 500 kilometers — about 50 to 311 miles — above the Earth’s surface, NOAA said on its website.

Why was aurora borealis visible in Texas?

The frequency of aurora borealis being visible in Texas is linked to the current solar cycle, or Solar Cycle 25, in which the sun goes through regular cycles of activity lasting approximately 11 years, according to Daniel Huckabee, a forecaster with the National Weather Service office in Fort Worth.

That’s why some Texans were able to see a reddish hue in the sky overnight.

During the most active part of the cycle, known as the solar maximum, the sun can unleash immense explosions of light, energy, and solar radiation, which create conditions known as space weather.

“Space weather can affect satellites and astronauts in space, as well as communications systems such as radio and GPS — and power grids on Earth,” NASA explained. “When the Sun is most active, space weather events become more frequent.”

Solar activity, such as the storm in May 2024 , has sparked displays of aurora and impacted satellites and infrastructure in recent months.

When combined with advanced cameras that can capture the lights, witnessing the northern lights has become more attainable than ever, though Huckabee said it is easier to see auroras in rural areas than in the Metroplex due where “light pollution” from homes, buildings, and vehicles can often obstruct viewing.

When can North Texans see aurora borealis again?

Huckabee explained that current solar conditions do provide an opportunity for folks to see the northern lights again tonight, though “we will have to wait and see. “