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Northern Lights Over Cleveland Stunning Display; But Should We Be Concerned About Solar Storms?

Writer's picture: Jenni AdammsJenni Adamms

CLEVELAND — The Northern Lights made several rare appearances over Cleveland this week, turning the skies into a dazzling display of color and light. Typically, visible only in the far north, this stunning light show, known as the aurora borealis, was visible across Northeast Ohio due to a recent solar flare that caused a coronal mass ejection (CME). When those charged particles hit Earth’s magnetic field, they sparked the breathtaking phenomenon.



Russell Jones, owner of Jones Drones, couldn't believe his luck when he saw the lights. "Just last night, we witnessed a celestial event," he said. Jones grabbed his drone, a few cameras, and headed to the shores of Lake Erie in Euclid to capture the spectacle. “We had drones, GoPros, cameras, all sorts of things to create these amazing images and this timelapse video,” Jones said, excitedly describing the setup.


What he and his collaborative partner, Brad Smolinski, captured was nothing short of magical. As the Northern Lights danced across the sky, Jones flew his drone into the scene, creating a series of mesmerizing extended-exposure shots. The footage captured not only the ethereal glow of the aurora but also the trails of airplanes crisscrossing the sky. It looked like some of the pilots flying into Cleveland had given passengers a special treat by adjusting their flight paths to offer better views of the lights. One plane even appears to veer slightly, as though the pilot wanted everyone onboard to soak in the view — a rare sight for those traveling over the Great Lakes.

We spoke with a Clevelander who, earlier in the year, was a passenger flying over the Great Lakes and reported that their pilot adjusted the flight path to give everyone a better view of the Northern Lights. "The pilot even turned a bit so we could all see it better," the passenger said. In the footage captured by Jones and Smolinski, it appears that some planes flying into Cleveland during the light show may have done something similar, with the trails of airplane lights visible against the backdrop of the aurora.


Why Are the Northern Lights in Cleveland?

The Northern Lights, usually seen closer to the Arctic, made a surprise appearance in Cleveland thanks to solar activity. A CME sent charged particles from the sun toward Earth, where they collided with gases in the atmosphere, creating the light show. While this kind of solar storm isn’t all that rare, it’s unusual for it to reach as far south as Ohio.


So, what causes the lights to look like those famous dancing ribbons in the sky? It’s all about Earth’s magnetic field. The particles are drawn toward the poles, and as they interact with the atmosphere, the lights appear to move and shift. The result is a display that can change in intensity from moment to moment, sometimes appearing in waves.


Not About Climate Change

Though some might wonder if seeing the Northern Lights in Ohio has something to do with climate change, it doesn’t. The aurora borealis is tied to solar activity and Earth’s magnetic field, not the planet’s changing climate. “This light show has everything to do with solar flares and nothing to do with global warming,” an expert pointed out.


No Danger, Just Beauty

Watching the Northern Lights is completely safe, but the solar activity that causes them can sometimes disrupt things like GPS signals, satellite communications, and even power grids. Fortunately, for those viewing from the ground, the only effect was an unforgettable night of sky-gazing.


As the lights flickered across the sky in waves, Jones and Smolinski stayed out on the shores of Lake Erie, capturing every moment.


For those lucky enough to witness the aurora from Cleveland this week, it was an awe-inspiring reminder of the beauty and unpredictability of nature. And for a few fortunate airline passengers, the night sky over the Great Lakes may have provided one of the most memorable flights of their lives.

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