The Northern Lights are caused by interactions between the sun's solar winds and the Earth's protective magnetic field. This causes geomagnetic storms and increased geomagnetic activity. The higher the geomagnetic activity is, the better your odds are of seeing the aurora.
We are currently near the peak of an 11-year solar cycle, with high solar activity giving an increased chance of seeing the Northern Lights further south in the Northern Hemisphere than they are typically seen. The current peak in activity is expected to last until mid-2025.
The 'Sweet Spot' to Get the Shot
These photos were shared with Kent State Today by Rami Daud, senior photographer, University Communications and Marketing. Because our campus is so well lit at night, and to compensate for the brightness of the stars, he had to experiment with his camera settings to capture the vibrant colors that were not visible to the naked eye. Daud said, "I set up on a tripod and took several exposures ranging from about one second to 20 seconds, landing on three seconds as the 'sweet spot,' where I was getting enough aurora action with the stars while not completely blowing out campus. I ended up with about 1,000 photos over the course of about 2 1/2 hours. The peak was around 10 p.m. "
The image showing the trails of the stars during that time is a composite of about 450 of those images that Daud blended together.