Okay, so, “San Antonio Northern Lights” – sounds magical, right? I thought so too. Let me tell you, I went on a little adventure last night, and here’s how it went down.
The Prep Work
First things first, I did some digging. No, seriously, I googled like crazy. “Northern Lights in San Antonio?” It sounded nuts, I am in Texas after all, but the internet hinted it might be possible, super, duper rarely. There were talks of a strong solar storm, and that’s the key ingredient.
I checked a bunch of space weather websites. You know, the kind with all the charts and numbers that look like gibberish at first. I was mostly looking for something called the “Kp-index.” The higher that number, the better your chances. Last night, it was looking pretty high – I kept on refreshing the browser to find out any good news.
The Chase Begins
So, armed with my phone (for maps and more refreshing) and a hopeful heart, I drove. I figured the city lights would be my biggest enemy, so I headed north, away from all that glow. I just kept driving, looking for the darkest spot I could find.
I found this random little park, far away from any major roads. Pulled over, killed the headlights, and… waited. It was super quiet, and honestly, a little spooky at first. I kept staring at the sky, thinking, “Please, please show up!”
Did I See Them?
It felt like I looked for hours… To be honest, there was a bit of disappointment, but it can not work every time. It just was not strong enough to be seen with my own eyes, but I may give it another try tonight!
I am not quitting that easy.
