Cameras Outshine Eyes During Northern Lights

Over the weekend, millions of Americans were treated to a rare sight: the Northern Lights. Well, sort of. For many, it was akin to how a 13-year-old might experience a Taylor Swift concert—mostly through their phone screen.

It appears that our phones captured the Northern Lights far better than our own eyes, particularly with features like Night Mode designed for low-light conditions. In fact, many people said they couldn’t see anything at all but they’re phones picked it up easily.

The aurora borealis, typically confined to higher latitudes, made an extraordinary appearance much farther south than usual, all thanks to a colossal solar storm. This storm, the most potent since 2003, caused charged particles from the sun to interact with Earth’s magnetic field, creating the mesmerizing light show.

Critics may argue that observing the lights through a screen isn’t significantly different from watching a video on YouTube. Nevertheless, the consensus online seems to be that it still counts as experiencing this natural wonder, thereby allowing people to tick it off their bucket lists.