I can still see them when I close my eyes. Emerald greens shimmering on the horizon. A subtle sea of red tinting the night sky. Pillars of light flickering above my head like a spotlight on the constellations.
Catching a glimpse of the once-in-a-lifetime auroras on May 10, 2024, was an unforgettable moment for any skywatcher. But I had the great fortune of more than a glimpse—it was an entire show that seemingly evolved without end. I stood outside for a solid 90 minutes that night to watch a sight I never thought I’d see.
Much of my current life is the result of sheer luck. My career started when a friend happened to catch a tweet advertising a job for a weather blog. A dog taught me how to ride my bike. (That’s another story for another time.)
Crystal clear skies in the middle of a North Carolina spring night—perfectly timed with the most intense solar storm in living memory—presented another pang of luck that left an indelible mark on my soul.
I wrote about the experience the following day over at The Weather Network, detailing what it was like to see the northern lights so far south. That was less than 24 hours after the event, though. I was still stunned by what I’d just witnessed.
That sense of wonder has only grown in the 41 days since that incredible night.
There aren’t many singular moments in my life that I can point to and truly call “clarifying.” The auroras were one of those earthshaking events, an awe I’ve yet to shake—and I hope I never do.
I’ve been incredibly open about suffering from depression for the past couple of years. Missing the full glory of the once-in-a-lifetime solar eclipse just a month earlier really kicked my depression into high gear. I’d been stewing for weeks by the night of the auroras.
But standing outside beneath those intensely clear and colorful skies seemed to flip a switch deep within my brain. I felt like I could breathe for the first time in months. I’m not ashamed to admit that it moved me to tears more than once.
The next day, I ripped off a couple of mental bandaids that I knew would make my depression easier to manage but I’d avoided forever out of fear and hopeless hope.
Staring at the moon and distant stars against the night sky have always filled me with a sense of humble awe. Watching the International Space Station glide overhead still makes me smile and giggle like a little kid.
But those auroras. Nothing can compare to the absolute joy of seeing streaks of otherworldly lights fill our night sky. I’ve gazed up with admiration since I was a little kid to take in clouds and blue hues and starry nights alike. Capturing that brief moment of living history only strengthened my love for the world around us.
It’s been more than a month since that unforgettable night of astronomical wonder. I’m better off and more fulfilled than I have been in years all because of that brief moment of luck and natural beauty.
