In recent years, people throughout California have witnessed the Northern Lights. Where, when, and why do the different types of Northern Lights and their southern counterpart, the Southern Lights — collectively known as the aurora — appear? What special conditions allowed us to see recent auroras in California? Where and when might we see them again? How are common explanations of the aurora incorrect? And why do auroras look different in photographs than they do when viewed with our own eyes?

Our Wonderfest speaker is Dr. Laura Peticolas, physicist, aurora expert, and Director of EdEon STEM Learning at Sonoma State University. [Golden Gate aurora photo by Hugo Lageneste]