The Northern Lights dazzled Idaho sky watchers. See photos from Boise and beyond

In Boise and across the state, Idahoans took advantage of dark skies Friday through Saturday for a chance to spot a phenomenon that hasn’t appeared in nearly two decades.

The Northern Lights visited the south of the state from 8pm on Friday, with the strongest solar storm activity lasting until 8am on Saturday. The sun didn’t set in Boise until around 9 p.m., and then the colors of the Northern Lights began to emerge and dance above the ridgelines.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Space Weather Prediction Center has issued a severe geomagnetic storm watch for Friday evening, as previously reported by the Idaho Statesman. This was the first time NOAA had done so since January 2005.

As NASA reports, the skyward anomaly is caused by solar storm particles colliding with Earth’s upper atmosphere, with the planet’s magnetic field sending the particles north and south. The interaction creates a light exposure generally visible only near the North and South poles.

From the hill above Horseshoe Bend, neon magentas and greens came to life and dazzled those who stayed up past their usual bedtime.

Likewise, unique sites could be found in other areas of the Treasure Valley with less light pollution, including Bogus Basin Road in Boise County.

Here are some other views of the Northern Lights elsewhere in Idaho.

Back in the Treasure Valley, Idaho Statesman photographer Sarah Miller visited near Lucky Peak to admire the colorful display.

Meanwhile, Idaho Statesman Visuals Editor Darin Oswald traveled to Shafer Butte in the Boise National Forest and produced this selfie and dubbed the stunning image “Aurora Idahoalis.”

And, as luck would have it, a second chance to view the Northern Lights in Idaho is planned for Saturday – starting after dark and lasting through Sunday. The Boiseans won’t even have to move north toward Riggins, as was originally planned, to get another chance.