This picture and description came from the Spaceweather page. I thought the picture was kinda spooky. Thought i'd show it here...
A VISIT FROM THE ANCESTORS: "Things are getting spooky around the Arctic Circle," reports Markus Varik. Last night, he photographed this apparition over Tromsø, Norway:
"According to the local indigenous Sami people, Northern Lights represent the souls of ancestors. When teased, the spirits descend and pick up the teaser--never to be seen again," says Varik. "Working as a seasoned Northern Lights guide, I have done my fair share of teasing. This time, luckily, I was released after a short inspection."
In addition to teasing, another factor may have played a role in conjuring these auroras: Earth passed through a fold in the
heliospheric current sheet. Many people have never heard of the heliospheric current sheet, yet it is one of the biggest things in the solar system--a vast undulating system of electrical currents shaped like the skirt of a ballerina. Earth dips in and out of it all the time. These crossings are called "solar sector boundary crossings," and they have been known to spark bright Arctic lights.
