I saw the Northern Lights!

November 11, 2025 11:32 PM

The Northern Lights, photographed northeast of Faribault near Cannon City (with a treeline in the foreground) around 9 p.m. Tuesday, November 11. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo November 2025)

IT TOOK A LIFE TIME, but I finally saw the Northern Lights for the first time. Ever. And they were poetic, artistic, inspiring, incredible, wondrous, glorious…all the adjectives you can use to describe a dark night sky colored with streaks of green, red and pink.

Randy and I were sitting comfortably in the warmth of our southern Minnesota home Tuesday evening when our son texted that he could see the Northern Lights even in the city lights of Boston. A photo proved it. Then the daughter who lives 35 minutes to the north of us texted that they, too, could see the lights in Lakeville, south of the Twin Cities. Photos proved it.

We popped up, grabbed our coats and set out to see for ourselves. We didn’t have to drive far into the countryside before we noticed the first streaks of light. Turning onto a gravel road, we parked, stepped outside and turned our eyes heavenward. Then we eventually tried to figure out how to photograph the majestic scene above us on our smartphones, with only minimal success.

While I would have loved some spectacular images, what matters most is that I saw, with my own eyes, that which I’ve wanted to see my entire life. Others were doing the same. We counted about a dozen vehicles parked along rural roads, the occupants gazing skyward.

This imprinted upon me how something like the Northern Lights can bring people outdoors, appreciating this beautiful natural world that surrounds us and, which on this November evening, put on a spectacular light show.

TELL ME: Have you seen the Northern Lights? When and where? How would you describe them?

Posted by Audrey Kletscher Helbling

27 Responses to “I saw the Northern Lights!”

It was my first time seeing them too Audrey! Exciting!!

By Rose on November 11, 2025 at 11:39 PM

So glad you saw the Northern Lights from your home in central Minnesota. Yes, exciting for sure.

By Audrey Kletscher Helbling on November 12, 2025 at 10:18 AM

Just came back inside from watching them in Savage, MN. Truly beautiful.

By ducky725 on November 12, 2025 at 12:18 AM

Thank you for that report from Savage. And welcome to the comments section.

By Audrey Kletscher Helbling on November 12, 2025 at 10:18 AM

yay! I am so happy for you both! I really understand your joy and wonder with this experience and never thought I’d ever see this in my lifetime either, but so grateful for it.

By beth on November 12, 2025 at 7:38 AM

Several times in the past two years we’ve driven into the countryside in an attempt to see the Northern Lights. And then, to finally see them, yes, it was a joyful moment. We just stood there in awe as we looked at the colorful sky surrounding us. We stopped in three different locations along rural roads.

By Audrey Kletscher Helbling on November 12, 2025 at 10:20 AM
1. such a powerful experience
  
  By beth on November 12, 2025 at 10:50 PM
2. Yes, especially when you consider all the people across the country experiencing the Northern Lights.
  
  By Audrey Kletscher Helbling on November 13, 2025 at 9:51 AM
3. A shared phenomenon
  
  By beth on November 13, 2025 at 12:10 PM

We have yet to see the Lights in person. It thus figures we would be in Arizona when they appeared powerfully in the skies back home. But one day we’ll see them. One day…

By Vanmarmot's Travels on November 12, 2025 at 8:11 AM

I hope you see them some day, too. Safe travels back to MN. Hopefully your flight will happen on time.

By Audrey Kletscher Helbling on November 12, 2025 at 10:21 AM

I did too. From our front door! And there will be more sightings tonight. I will post about it tomorrow with some fun photos. I have seen them before…they’re “awe”-some.

By vbollinger on November 12, 2025 at 9:26 AM

I figured you would have seen the Northern Lights. I look forward to seeing your photos tomorrow.

By Audrey Kletscher Helbling on November 12, 2025 at 10:24 AM

I’ve seen them three times in my life. First was some 64 years ago in Grantsburg Wi at my girfriend’s parents’ cabin. I still don’t know why I was invited on that trip because we were all of 14 yrs old. But it was an innocent weekend. I don’t remember much about them other than “Cool!” but didn’t appreciate how special they are.

Second time was about 45 years ago driving from Minneapolis to our home in Northern MN at about midnight on Christmas Day. Wife had to get home and be at work the next day. I remember that as being they “typical” Aurora Borealis: green swirling/sheeting light sweeping across the sky, with hints of red and blue.

Last and most spectacular time was on a solo Boundary Waters canoe trip in 2013. I’d had a really tough day (couldn’t find a portage for an hour, long, flooded portages, blisters, slips and falls). I was exhausted when I set up camp but was greeted with a flyover by a pair of trumpeter swans not 10 feet above me. So close I heard the whoosh of their wings.

For some reason I managed to stay awake until it was well dark–at least 10:30 in summer. That’s when the NL suddenly appeared and gave me an unforgettable show. This time I remember mostly sheets of white light, almost like a blanket being pulled across the sky to cover the Earth. I almost broke down and cried, I felt so fortunate to experience a spectacular natural phenomenon in a spectacular natural place–alone too. Just me and the universe hanging out on a beautiful summer night.

By Chris Norbury on November 12, 2025 at 9:41 AM

Chris, thank you for your detailed stories about seeing the Northern Lights. That Boundary Waters sighting sounds especially memorable and impressive for the solo experience and setting.

Readers, if you’re unfamiliar with Chris Norbury, visit his website. He’s a writer from Owatonna with several published books, all of them excellent reads.

By Audrey Kletscher Helbling on November 12, 2025 at 10:28 AM

I have not seen them in a long time; they are always magical. I’m so glad they visited you!

By Michael Watson PhD on November 12, 2025 at 10:59 AM

But you’ve seen the Northern Lights and that is a good thing.

By Audrey Kletscher Helbling on November 12, 2025 at 5:01 PM

Saw them last night here in Missouri as well; they were not as spectacular here as when I saw them in younger years up in Minnesota, but still very cool to see again. I’m hoping for a better show tonight, which is what is being forecasted. I’m so glad that this is happening in November rather than January!

By Neil on November 12, 2025 at 1:36 PM

Glad you saw the Northern Lights in Missouri. Your brother does not remember seeing them very often or any as vibrant as last evening here in southern Minnesota. Maybe we will head out again tonight, if it isn’t cloudy. As far as cold, yes, it was where we were standing in the open countryside. I wore my stocking cap. Randy left his at home. He won’t make that mistake again.

By Audrey Kletscher Helbling on November 12, 2025 at 5:04 PM

The lights were absolutely amazing! This was my third try. Northern lights just were not typical for southern MN and I’d never gone up north where they might be more visible. First time was about two years ago. I went out on the second night after hearing how wonderful it was. Should have gone the first night. I started to see some moving light and didn’t realize “seeing” them through my phone would help. Second time was about a year ago. A neighbor down the road texted an alert. I did “see” but mostly through my phone. The reds and greens were there but somewhat muted. But this time, my naked eye saw colors and streaks which got even more vibrant through photos. What a treat! I’m so happy I saw them.

By COLLEEN HONDL GENGLER on November 12, 2025 at 6:28 PM

Colleen, thanks for sharing your Northern Lights stories from my native southwestern Minnesota. I’m so glad you saw the vibrant ones last night also.

By Audrey Kletscher Helbling on November 12, 2025 at 9:47 PM

They were visible in New York, but I fell asleep. It was on the news this morning!

By Keith Goldstein on November 12, 2025 at 9:25 PM

Thanks for that report from New York, Keith. I’m sorry you missed them.

By Audrey Kletscher Helbling on November 12, 2025 at 9:47 PM

So many posts of people seeing them here as well with stunning pictures simply from cell phones that rivaled professional photographs. I think our view in NC was simply amazing. That view gives you hope, right? Beauty is everywhere!

By Beth Ann on November 13, 2025 at 7:07 AM

Hope is such a good word. And, yes so many incredible images. Glad you had some stunning views in NC.

By Audrey Kletscher Helbling on November 13, 2025 at 9:55 AM

Weren’t they spectacular? We could see them from our own backyard and were amazed. I got some really nice photos. We’ve seen them before, once on our way to visit Mick’s family in Wisconsin and again about a year ago when we drove beyond the city limits. We also saw them in Iceland just this September. But these were more brilliant than any we’ve seen before and I’m so glad we got to experience such a display. I really loved that many of my neighbors were also outside looking upward, a shared experience that is a gift.

By Kathleen Cassen Mickelson on November 13, 2025 at 1:20 PM

“…a shared experience that is a gift.” Yes, to that. I felt that connection, too. Thank you for sharing your Northern Lights experiences.

By Audrey Kletscher Helbling on November 13, 2025 at 2:02 PM

Minnesota Prairie Roots

I saw the Northern Lights!

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