PHOTOS: The brilliant Northern Lights appear over Ripon

RIPON, Wis. (WRPN / WAUH) – Ripon residents were treated to a rare and dazzling sight over the course of Tuesday and Wednesday night.

The famed Northern Lights, also known as the aurora borealis, filled the night sky with vibrant hues, and Brad Anthony from WRPN and WAUH captured the brilliant display.

The Northern Lights are typically only seen in northern latitudes, such as Alaska or Russia. So, why has the phenomenon appeared in the night sky over Wisconsin and much of the rest of the United States? The aurora borealis occurs when particles from solar flares interact with the Earth’s magnetosphere. The planet is currently being affected by powerful geomagnetic storms, creating stronger and farther-reaching bursts of light that cause the phenomenon to appear in areas where it usually isn’t visible.

If you haven’t had a chance to see the Northern Lights yet, you’re in luck – the Space Weather Prediction Center projects that it will still be visible in the Wisconsin sky on Thursday night.