GRANITE CITY - Granite City resident Sheena Williamson described witnessing the Northern Lights from her home near Southwestern Illinois College (SWIC) on Tuesday night as one of the “most beautiful experiences” of her life.
Williamson, who lives on Morrison Road in Granite City, said she had been waiting her entire life to see the phenomenon. “I drove around Granite City looking for places to take a photo. I saw it when I got back here,” she said. “I didn’t think I’d get to see it. I got lucky.”
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The Northern Lights Phenomenon, or aurora borealis, is a natural light display caused by energetic solar particles from the sun colliding with gas molecules in Earth's upper atmosphere.
She noted that while she could see the Northern Lights with her eyes, the images captured on her phone appeared more vibrant. “I took a picture and it made it more vibrant,” Williamson said. She added that she planned to be outside again on Wednesday night in hopes of seeing the display once more.
Williamson also expressed her interest in space in general, saying, “I love information about space. I read about that all the time.” She acknowledged that not everyone in the area saw the Northern Lights, but noted that the display was visible in locations including SWIC in Granite City.
Northern Lights photos have also been shared here from neighborhoods in Maryville, Belleville, and Staunton, Illinois, as well as from Conway, Iowa.
Riverbender.com is inviting readers who captured images of the Northern Lights on Tuesday or Wednesday night to submit their best photos and comments about their experience by emailing News@riverbender.com or texting Dan Brannan at (618) 623-5930.
If you have a Northern Lights photo or photos that you want to display from Tuesday night or on Wednesday night, e-mail them to News@riverbender.com with a comment about the experience.
