Photos: Spectacular Northern Light Over Minnesota

An X1.4 class flare erupted from the center of the sun, peaking on July 12, 2012 at 12:52 PM EDT. It erupted from Active Region 1520 which rotated into view on July 6. A blast of charged solar particles from a solar storm was due to arrive July 14 and shake Earth’s magnetic field.

A solar storm sparked the spectacular northern lights display in the skies over the  Upper Midwest over the weekend.

Northern light is also known as Aurora Borealis.

The northern lights fill the sky over the south shore of Lake Superior east of Superior, Wis. above Duluth, Minn., early Sunday, July 15, 2012. A solar storm sparked the spectacular northern lights display in the skies over the Upper Midwest. (AP Photo/The Duluth News-Tribune, Andrew Krueger)

Northern Lights illuminate the sky over a cabin on Lake Elora in northern Minnesota early Sunday morning, July 15, 2012. (AP Photo/The Star Tribune, Brian Peterson)

The northern lights fill the sky over the south shore of Lake Superior east of Superior, Wis. above Duluth, Minn., early Sunday, July 15, 2012. A solar storm sparked the spectacular northern lights display in the skies over the Upper Midwest. (AP Photo/The Duluth News-Tribune, Andrew Krueger)
 morning, July 15, 2012. (AP Photo/The Star Tribune, Brian Peterson)